Saudi Government, Legitimacy issue, Islamist Opposition Movements, Wahhabism, Arab Spring, 2030 Plan (Document)

Wahhabism has been acted as an identical and religious key factor to maintain the political and legitimacy of the Saudi's government. On the later of 1980-1990s, in response to a number of dissatisfaction as well as internal and external factors, the Islamist opposition movement have been arisen which finally, led to the skepticism in the religious foundations of the Saudi’s political legitimacy. With the occurrence of Arab Spring as well as the implementation of (initial draft of) 2030 Plan, critical Islamist divisions to the Saudi government were intensified as well as alliance between the government and the Wahhabi scholars were faced the initial divisions. The present study attempts to answer the two following questions through using explanatory and analytical methods 1.What have been the most significant political challenges of Saudi government with the Islamist critics such as Islamist awakening movement (ASSAHVEH), Ikhvan and Jihadists since 1990s, especially in the Arab spring era? 2. What will be the political consequence of the 2030 Plan for the political legitimacy of Saudi Arabia government? The hypothesis confirms the research findings. The findings indicate that modernization in various fields, especially education, leads to the rise of the critic and reformist Islamist groups. These groups were emerged in the response to the government supports for the US-led coalition in the 1991 Gulf War, political obstruction as well as socio- political dissatisfactions took a critical stance on the government which this situation was gradually exacerbated by the Arab Spring. However, the aggressive ambitious and destructive reform plan against the religious institution stipulated in the 2030 Plan (Document), especially concerning social freedoms and women's rights, as well as scholars were neglected by Ben Salman led to the major challenges between the Wahhabi scholars or Wahhabi Supreme Council and the Saudi government which are likely exacerbated in the future.