Free Princes Movement - Internal Royal Opposition

Internal Royal Opposition

Prince Talal suggested the creation of a national council in 1958. The group drafted its own constitution. Its constitution placed more power in the hands of the cabinet, removed most of the authorities of the King, and created a partially elected advisory committee. Most members of the Al Saud were strongly opposed to the movement and both King Saud and Crown Prince Faisal repudiated its reforms initially. It was also attacked as "crypto-communist" by King Saud.

In May 1960, Talal bin Abdul-Aziz told Egyptian newspaper Al-Jumhuriyah (The Republic) of a gradual trend towards a "constituent assembly, first constitution, supreme court, and a supreme planning commission". He went on to say "the problem is how to accomplish this experiment".

But in December 1960, Talal's supporters formed a coalition with King Saud to undermine Faisal's growing influence. Saud promoted Talal from Minister of Transport to Minister of Finance. But in a turn of events, the movement began to support many of Crown Prince Faisal's reforms.

In late 1961, King Saud began to lose considerable support in the House of Saud. He increasing became dependent on the few Nasserite nationalists in his Cabinet. Saud reconciled with Faisal, under Faisal's precondition to remove the movement entirely from the cabinet.

The movement was exiled to Lebanon. Prince Talal moved in and out of Beirut and Cairo for the next few years.

At the end of 1962, they formed the Arab National Liberation Front ('Free Saudis Movement') in Cairo that is commonly referred to as Free Princes Movement.

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