http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/99620-will-saudi-arabias-citizens-revolt
15 July 2012
Will Saudi Arabia's citizens revolt?
Saudi police stand guard in front of demonstrators in the Qatif
region of Eastern Province. (File photo)
One of the main problems with Saudi Arabia’s political system is that
there is no pre-defined mechanism for the transfer of power. Efforts by the
ruling elite to resolve the problem, including Saudi King Abdullah’s formation
of an allegiance council, have failed due to disputes inside the Al Saud
family.
The other major problem is the ambiguous nature of power sharing in Saudi
Arabia’s political structure. The second generation of the Saudi monarchy is
now embroiled in a power rivalry, which many believe will lead to the country's
collapse.
Saudi rulers are trying to conceal the power struggle, but the recent
escalation of disputes over choosing the crown prince and other major
governmental posts clearly proves the political vulnerability of the leadership.
In a move to counter the negative effects of the internal disputes, the
monarchy has expanded its foreign policy interventions. This policy has failed
to calm internal protests and people are continuing to take to the street to
express their legitimate demands.
The extremist idea of Wahhabism and its influence on the ruling family is
another major problem that seriously damages governance in the country. It is
the main source of Saudi’s anti-Shia policies that have precipitated
wide-spread concern among its religious minorities.
Shias living in the eastern parts of Saudi Arabia are dissatisfied by the
current political atmosphere and have repeatedly protested against the bias
against them.
The Saudi government preaches democratic values to other Arab states,
while it remains busy suppressing calls for the recognition of people’s rights
within its borders. Herein lies the paradox of a government that is seen by
many to be the next place for a second wave of the popular Arab uprisings to
take root.
Hassan Ahmadian is a researcher at the Center for Strategic Research of
Iran’s Expediency Council and a specialist on Saudi Arabian politics
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