Article 8 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
المادة 8 من نظام هيئة البيعة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن يتوافر في المرشح لولاية العهد ما تنص عليه الفقرة (ب) من المادة الخامسة من النظام 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 8 explained in plain English
This article sets the conditions for a candidate for the position of Crown Prince by reference. It does not state the conditions itself, but provides that the candidate must meet what is provided in paragraph (b) of Article 5 of the Basic Law of Governance.
This means that to know the conditions one must refer to the Basic Law of Governance, not to the Succession Commission Law. The Article 5 meant here is an article in the Basic Law of Governance, not Article 5 of the Succession Commission Law, which concerns the members' oath.
This article is linked to Article 7, which regulates the mechanism for choosing the Crown Prince: after being pledged allegiance and after consulting the Commission's members, the King chooses one, two or three for the position of Crown Prince, and the Commission seeks to nominate one of them by consensus, or nominates whomever it sees fit, and disagreement is settled by a vote between the Commission's nominee and one the King chooses. Everyone whose name is put forward in these stages must therefore meet the conditions this article refers to.
It is also linked to Article 9, which requires that the Crown Prince be chosen in accordance with the provision of Article 7 within a period of no more than thirty days from the date the King is pledged allegiance.
This article thus completes the mechanism of choice with a substantive condition relating to the candidate himself.
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 8 of the Saudi Succession Commission Law
What are the conditions for the Crown Prince?
The article refers to what is provided in paragraph (b) of Article 5 of the Basic Law of Governance.
Is Article 5 of the Succession Commission Law what is meant?
No. What is meant is Article 5 of the Basic Law of Governance, as the article expressly states.
More articles on Selecting the Crown Prince
- Article 7
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.
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 للوص
- 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.