Mohammed bin Salman

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, born on August 31, 1985, is the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, holding the titles of Crown Prince and Prime Minister. As the seventh son of King Salman and the grandson of the nation's founder, Ibn Saud, he is positioned as the heir apparent to the Saudi throne. Mohammed is the first child of King Salman and his third wife, Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain.

After earning a law degree from King Saud University, Mohammed began his political career as an advisor to his father in 2009. Following his father's ascension to the throne in 2015, he was appointed deputy crown prince and defense minister, eventually rising to the role of crown prince in 2017. In 2022, he succeeded his father as prime minister, further solidifying his influence over the kingdom.

Since becoming crown prince, Mohammed has initiated a range of social and economic reforms aimed at modernizing Saudi Arabia. These reforms include diminishing the power of the Wahhabi religious establishment, enhancing women's rights, and launching the Saudi Vision 2030 program to diversify the economy away from oil dependency. However, his administration has faced criticism for the continued repression of women's rights activists and political dissidents.

On the international stage, Mohammed has sought to elevate Saudi Arabia's influence, forging stronger ties with countries like China and the United States while engaging in complex foreign policy maneuvers, including the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and the escalation of the Qatar diplomatic crisis. His leadership style has been characterized as authoritarian, with reports of systematic repression of dissent and a controversial anti-corruption campaign that resulted in the seizure of significant assets.

Notably, a 2021 report by the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence implicated Mohammed in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, highlighting the darker aspects of his rule amidst his ambitious reform agenda.