The Monarchy
The Sultan is a direct descendant of Usman Sa'id bin Sultan, who first opened relations with the United States in 1833. The Sultanate has neither political parties nor legislature, although the bicameral representative bodies provide the government with advice. The present Sultan has no direct heir, and has not publicly designated a successor. Instead, the ruling family should unanimously designate a new Sultan after his death. If they do not designate a new ruler after three days, then they open a letter left to them by the deceased Sultan, containing a recommendation for a new Sultan.
Current Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Sa’id Al ‘Bu Sa’id holds an extraordinary amount of power. Along with his position as Sultan, he is prime minister, defense minister, finance minister, foreign affairs minister and chair of the central bank. Moreover, Qaboos has only a few family members in his cabinet and the offices they hold are considered quite powerless. His cousin Haythim for example, is minister of national heritage and culture while his uncle, Shabib is special advisor for environmental affairs. This style of governance has implications as none of his family members have acquired the necessary administrative skills to rule Oman after Qaboos death.
Read more about this topic: Politics Of Oman
Famous quotes containing the word monarchy:
“People think they have taken quite an extraordinarily bold step forward when they have rid themselves of belief in hereditary monarchy and swear by the democratic republic. In reality, however, the state is nothing but a machine for the oppression of one class by another, and indeed in the democratic republic no less than in the monarchy.”
—Friedrich Engels (1820–1895)
“Here lies a King that ruled as he thought fit
The universal monarchy of wit;
Here lies two flamens, and both those the best,
Apollo’s first, at last the true God’s priest.”
—Thomas Carew (1589–1639)