Saudi Arabia: The Repercussions of Nayef’s Death  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The death of Saudi Arabia's Crown prince and Minister of Interior Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 78, was announced today. Netizens react to the news.
Egyptian blogger Mahmoud Salem notes:
@Sandmonkey: Prince Nayef's death has way too many repercussions to the region than our elections. The power plays happening in saudi now are massive.
adding:
@Sandmonkey: Wow, saudi will now face transitional crisis, although am not really sure people will be sad over the idea that nayef won't rule them.
Mauritanian Naser Weddady comments:
@weddady: Crown prince Nayef embodied the Western paradox: tough on terrorists, that he created funded & loved, disastrous to human rights #Saudi
And Chatham House's Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Jane Kinninmont notes:
@janekinninmont: Prince Nayef was seen as a driving force behind Saudi policy to Bahrain & Yemen (so close they're seen as partly interior ministry business)
She adds:
@janekinninmont: Don't expect immediate shifts in Saudi policy; it's cautious, characterized by family consensus-building & still has many hardliners to please
UAE news commentator Sultan Al Qassemi reminds us:
@SultanAlQassemi: Nayef was the second Saudi crown prince to die in office following Prince Sultan who died in October 2011
And Amjad Saleem jokes:
@corporatesufi: looks like there are some occupational hazards in being crown prince in Saudi. Might he think twice after 2nd death?
Meanwhile Raza Aslan tweets:
@rezaaslan: Looks like God decided to spare #SaudiArabia of the possibility of a King Nayef. Ultra hardline Crown Prince died yesterday.