Main content

What Does the Saudi Crown Prince Want?

Arresting Princes, lifting the women鈥檚 driving ban, accusing Lebanon of waging war against them; the Crown Prince has quickly made his mark, but what is driving him?

He鈥檚 pushed through reforms but some fear there is a darker desire driving the ruler. In one night, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman arrested over a dozen Princes and government ministers on corruption charges. To turn on his own royal family, he must be serious. But is corruption the Crown Prince鈥檚 real target or is this a power grab? There are also fears that the aggressive stance he has taken with Lebanon, Yemen and Qatar is increasing tensions with regional rival Iran. If the tension reaches a tipping point, there are fears the conflict could widen beyond the region. So what is he up to? What does the Saudi Crown Prince want?

(Photo: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Riyadh on October 24 2017. Credit: Fayez Nureldine/Getty Images)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 20 Nov 2017 07:06GMT
大象传媒 World Service East Asia

More episodes

Previous

Is the Knowledge Factory Broken?

Next

Why Doesn鈥檛 Apple Pay More Tax?

See all episodes from The Inquiry

Clips

See all clips from What Does the Saudi Crown Prince Want? (2)

Broadcasts

  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 00:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 03:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & West and Central Africa only
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 04:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service South Asia & East Asia only
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 07:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia & East and Southern Africa only
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 08:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 15:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 18:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Thu 16 Nov 2017 23:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia, Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 04:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia
  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 06:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service South Asia
  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 07:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East Asia

Featured in...

Podcast

  • The Inquiry

    Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world