Article 6 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
المادة 6 من نظام هيئة البيعة
The article requires the Succession Commission, on the death of the King, to call for pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince as King of the country in accordance with this Law and the Basic Law of Governance.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
عند وفاة الملك تقوم الهيئة بالدعوة إلى مبايعة ولي العهد ملكا على البلاد وفقا لهذا النظام والنظام الأساسي للحكم.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 6 explained in plain English
This article deals with the Succession Commission's most important task in the transfer of rule. On the death of the King, the Commission calls for pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince as King of the country.
The following can be understood from the text:
- That the Crown Prince is the one to whom allegiance is pledged as King on the death of the King; the Commission does not choose someone else in this case, but calls for pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince.
- That the Commission's role here is to call for the pledge of allegiance.
- That this is done in accordance with this Law and the Basic Law of Governance.
The article regulates the usual case of transfer of rule, that is, the death of the King when there is a Crown Prince. After the new King is pledged allegiance, Article 7 comes to regulate choosing the new Crown Prince: after being pledged allegiance, and after consulting the Commission's members, the King chooses one, two or three persons whom he considers for the position of Crown Prince and presents his choice to the Commission, which must make an effort to reach a nomination of one of them by consensus.
The article is also linked to Article 5, which requires the Commission's chairman, members and Secretary General to take the oath before the King before starting their work. In this way the Law ensures an orderly transfer of rule that preserves the stability of the State.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 6 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
What does the Succession Commission do when the King dies?
It calls for pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince as King of the country in accordance with this Law and the Basic Law of Governance.
Who becomes King after the death of the King?
The Commission calls for pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince as King of the country.
How is the new Crown Prince chosen after that?
Article 7 regulates this: after being pledged allegiance and consulting the Commission's members, the King chooses one, two or three and presents his choice to the Commission.
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The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.