Thousands are expected to gather at the Grand Mosque in Riyadh on Friday to say farewell to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, a cautious reformer who succeeded in securing broader freedoms in the conservative kingdom but fell short in gaining greater independence for women.
Abdullah died Thursday, several weeks after the state-run Saudi Press Agency said he was suffering from pneumonia and had been admitted to the hospital. The royal court didn’t release an exact cause of death. He was 90.
To ensure a smooth transition, the kingdom quickly appointed his 79-year-old brother, Salman bin Abdulaziz, to the throne.
Who is Salman bin Abdulaziz?
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“Remember, the last time the price of oil fell like this, the Soviet Union collapsed,” said Zakaria. “That said, the successor is a very competent man.”
He added: “I don’t expect any major shift, but it marks a big change, and we’ll have to see what the new king is like.”
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CNN’s Laura Smith-Spark, Dana Ford and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report.
