Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is an ambitious man. His plan to modernize the country, "Vision 2030," combines long-stalled economic reforms with limited social modernization. He wants to diversify the economy and make Saudi Arabia the dominant power in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East. To accomplish both tasks, he must overcome powerful opposition at home and abroad.
Those plans took a step forward last weekend with a wave of arrests that shook the Saudi leadership. Officially, the crackdown is part of an anti-corruption campaign: At least 17 princes, current and former government ministers and business executives were taken into custody. The group included Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of Saudi Arabia's wealthiest and best-known businessmen, a former finance minister and current director of Saudi Aramco, and Mutaib bin Abdullah, head of the National Guard, which provides security to the royal family.
While corruption is a problem for Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed's real motivation appears to be the elimination of rivals and the consolidation of power before he becomes king. This campaign followed the arrest of Islamic dissidents and the removal of former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. Mohammed bin Salman is now head of the corruption "supreme committee," controls all the country's security services, and has replaced the minister of economy and planning, and the commander of Saudi Naval Forces.