As news of Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's recent hospitalization spreads, many are questioning what will happen to one of the Middle East's most powerful, stable countries as it faces a potential succession crisis. King Abdullah has been on the throne since 2005, and is seen by some as the most liberal king that the Kingdom has seen yet, as he was a proponent of many women empowerment campaigns.
King Abdullah has been suffering from a lung infection and is breathing from a tube, said Saudi officials after some demurring this past week. This news came after the King was admitted to a hospital last Wednesday, December 31. King Abdullah is the country's sixth king and is 90 years old.
Saudi stocks dipped on the news, but global oil prices have not been affected yet.
The Al Saud family is notorious for maintaining a silence regarding the health and well-being of their family members. This ensures that they are able to project a facade of stability in a region that is characterized by rapid regime change in recent times.
Crown Prince Salman, who is 78, is next in line. Prince Salman is not in the best health which leaves many wondering what will happen to the Saudi dynasty. Two of King Abdullah's other Crown Princes, Sultan and Nayef, died while King Abdullah was in power.
In order to try and alleviate succession issues amid illness, Kind Abdullah last year appointed, for the first time ever, a deputy crown prince, his younger half-brother Prince Muqrin.
Prince Muqrin, 69, is the youngest direct heir of Ibn Saud, so how succession will work when Prince Muqrin comes to power remains to be seen. The royal seat has only been passed through direct descendants of Ibn Saud, the founder of KSA, up until now.