Saudi citizens and officials pledge their allegiance to the newly appointed crown prince and the deputy crown prince in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Social media websites were abuzz on Wednesday with the Kingdom’s biggest Cabinet reshuffle in years applauding Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman as a visionary leader who is pushing reforms and involved in the making of a new generation of leaders, who will be in hugely important roles in the Kingdom for decades to come.

Netizens from a cross-section of society hailed the new appointments saying that for the first time grandsons of the founder of the Kingdom, King Abdulaziz, are in line for power.

Commending it as positive development, Mina Al-Oraibi, using her Twitter handle @AlOraibi, said: “Significant changes in Saudi Arabia with change of crown prince, deputy crown prince and foreign minister — but not a change in policy.”

Abdullah Ahmad, a biomedicine student, tweeted: “A welcome step to bring in a new generation of leaders.”

Popular social networking site Facebook was also filled with reactions. Facebook user Abdullah Al-Rehman commented: “Good decision. King Salman is a wise man. I am with KSA through thick and thin with even my life. May Allah give everyone in the government the wisdom to do what’s right.”

Another Facebook user, WiNston WyNne, said: “King Salman is a very good and intelligent person. Congrats for empowering the younger leaders.”

International media has also published reports highlighting the new generation in the changes.

UK-based Telegraph News tweeted, “Saudi king alters line of succession to favor new generation of princes,” while another prestigious UK daily, The Guardian, tweeted, “Saudi Arabia appoints interior minister and counter-terror chief as crown prince.”

News about the Cabinet reshuffle also attracted a huge number of viewers on YouTube.

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