Saudi cabinet reshuffle evidence to chaos in monarchy: Poll

A recent set of changes made by King Salman in the structure of the Saudi government highlights chaos within the ruling royal family, a Press TV poll finds.

In an online survey carried out by Press TV on May 8 – June 5, some 76 percent of respondents said that King Salman’s replacement of a number of cabinet ministers in the major reshuffle on May 7 was the result of a chaos in the monarchy.

Some 16 percent of interviewees said the decision to change the government’s structure was only a show of power by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

This as only eight percent said the reshuffle was aimed at modernizing the autocratic kingdom.

More than 4,570 people took part in the poll.

King Salman announced a series of royal decrees in early May and reformed the ministries of energy, oil, water, transportation, commerce, social affairs, health and pilgrimage by replacing ministers in charge of their portfolios. The monarch also issued a decree to set up a new recreation and culture mission.

The most notable change in the aforesaid portfolios was sacking the long-serving oil minister Ali al-Naimi. The 80-year-old was in charge of energy policy at the world’s biggest oil exporter since 1995. He was replaced by Khaled al-Faleh, who acted previously as the health minister. Faleh takes on the portfolio of energy, industry and mineral resources.

Naimi was one of the most powerful figures within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). He served more than 20 years in the post of oil minister.

The monarch said the changes were meant to enable the kingdom to continue its “growth and development process.”

The overhaul comes amid efforts by Saudi Arabia to shore up its finances as the kingdom has struggled year after year with budget deficits as a result of a slump in oil prices.