Article 7 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
المادة 7 من نظام هيئة البيعة
The article regulates choosing the Crown Prince: after consultation the King chooses up to three candidates, on one of whom the Commission agrees or else nominates others, and any disagreement is settled by a vote.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ - يختار الملك بعد مبايعته، وبعد التشاور مع أعضاء الهيئة، واحدا، أو اثنين، أو ثلاثة، ممن يراه لولاية العهد ويعرض هذا الاختيار على الهيئة، وعليها بذل الجهد للوصول إلى ترشيح واحد من هؤلاء بالتوافق لتتم تسميته وليا للعهد.
وفي حالة عدم ترشيح الهيئة لأي من هؤلاء فعليها ترشيح من تراه وليا للعهد.
ب - للملك في أي وقت أن يطلب من الهيئة ترشيح من تراه لولاية العهد.
وفي حالة عدم موافقة الملك على من رشحته الهيئة، وفقا لأي من الفقرتين (أ) و (ب) من هذه المادة، فعلى الهيئة التصويت على من رشحته وواحد يختاره الملك، وتتم تسمية الحاصل من بينهما على أكثر الأصوات وليا للعهد.
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 7 explained in plain English
This article sets out the mechanism for choosing the Crown Prince, which proceeds in several stages:
First: the King's choice (paragraph a)
- The King, after being pledged allegiance and after consulting the Commission's members, chooses one, two or three persons whom he considers for the position of Crown Prince, and presents this choice to the Commission.
- The Commission must make an effort to reach a nomination of one of them by consensus, so that he may be named Crown Prince.
- If the Commission does not nominate any of them, it must nominate whomever it sees fit as Crown Prince.
Second: the King asking for the Commission's nomination (paragraph b)
- The King may, at any time, ask the Commission to nominate whomever it sees fit for the position of Crown Prince.
Third: settling disagreement by a vote
- If the King does not approve the person the Commission nominated under paragraph (a) or (b), the Commission must vote between its nominee and one chosen by the King.
- The one who gets the most votes of the two is named Crown Prince.
This mechanism combines the role of the King and the role of the Commission, giving priority to consensus and then resorting to a vote in case of disagreement. It is linked to Article 6, which provides for the Commission's call to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince as King on the death of the King, and to Article 8, which requires that a candidate for the position of Crown Prince meet what paragraph (b) of Article 5 of the Basic Law of Governance provides.
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 7 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
How is the Crown Prince chosen in Saudi Arabia?
After being pledged allegiance and after consulting the Commission's members, the King chooses one, two or three, and the Commission seeks to nominate one of them by consensus so that he may be named Crown Prince.
What if the Commission does not nominate any of those the King chose?
It must nominate whomever it sees fit as Crown Prince.
What happens if the King does not approve the Commission's nominee?
The Commission votes between its nominee and one chosen by the King, and the one who gets the most votes is named Crown Prince.
Can the King ask for the nomination of a Crown Prince at any time?
Yes. The King may at any time ask the Commission to nominate whomever it sees fit for the position of Crown Prince.
More articles on Selecting the Crown Prince
- Article 8
The article requires a candidate for the position of Crown Prince to meet what paragraph (b) of Article 5 of the Basic Law of Governance provides.
يجب أن يتوافر في المرشح لولاية العهد ما تنص عليه الفقرة (ب) من المادة الخامسة من النظام الأساسي للحكم.
- Article 9
The article requires the Crown Prince to be chosen in accordance with Article 7 within no more than thirty days from the date the King is pledged allegiance.
يتم اختيار ولي العهد وفقا لحكم المادة السابعة، في مدة لا تزيد عن ثلاثين يوما من تاريخ مبايعة الملك.
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.