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=== Domestic reforms ===
Mohammed binBin Salman significantly restricted the powers of the [[Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)|religious police]].<ref name="NYToct16" /> He established an entertainment authority that began hosting comedy shows, professional wrestling events, and monster truck rallies.<ref name="NYToct16" /> In 2016, he shared his idea for "Green cards" for non-Saudi foreigners with [[Al Arabiya]] journalist [[Turki Aldakhil|Turki al-Dakhil]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mohammadbinsalman.com/2016/08/interview-of-prince-Mohammad-bin-salman.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110110419/http://www.mohammadbinsalman.com/2016/08/interview-of-prince-Mohammad-bin-salman.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2016|title=Interview of Prince Mohammed bin Salman – His vision for the future Saudi Arabia by Turki Al-Dakhil of Al Arabia}}</ref>
In 2019 the Saudi cabinet approved a new residency scheme ([[Premium Residency]]) for foreigners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1497071/saudi-arabia|title=Saudi cabinet approves new expatriate residency scheme|date=14 May 2019|website=Arab News|language=en|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> The scheme will enable expatriates to permanently reside, own property and invest in the Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saudi Arabia to Give " Green Card " Residency Permit for the First Time in 2019 |url=https://www.mohammadbinsalman.com/2019/06/saudi-arabia-to-give-green-card.html |website=mohammadbinsalman.com |access-date=8 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rights and benefits of the Saudi 'Green Card' |url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1499406/saudi-arabia |access-date=8 July 2019 |work=Arab News |date=20 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
In February 2017, Saudi Arabia appointed its first woman to head the [[Tadawul|Saudi Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-bourse-chairman/saudi-stock-exchange-appoints-first-female-chair-idUSL8N1G15NI|title=Saudi stock exchange appoints first female chair|work=Reuters|access-date=30 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331104746/https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-bourse-chairman/saudi-stock-exchange-appoints-first-female-chair-idUSL8N1G15NI|archive-date=31 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/saudi-arabia-stock-exchange-first-female-chief-sarah-al-suhaimi-bourse-investiment-bank-nbc-capital-a7590231.html|title=Saudi Stock Exchange appoints first female chief in history of the kingdom|website=Independent|access-date=30 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331174909/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/saudi-arabia-stock-exchange-first-female-chief-sarah-al-suhaimi-bourse-investiment-bank-nbc-capital-a7590231.html|archive-date=31 March 2018}}</ref>
In April 2017, bin Salman announced a project to build one of the world's largest cultural, sports and entertainment cities in [[Al QidiyaQiddiya]], southwest of [[Riyadh]]. The plans for a 334-square kilometre city include a safari and a [[Six Flags]] theme park.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Prince Mohammed bin Salman announces Saudi plans for largest entertainment city |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/travel-and-tourism/2017/04/08/Saudi-Arabia-plans-on-building-its-largest-cultural-sports-and-recreation-city.html |publisher=[[Al Arabiya]] |date=8 April 2017 |access-date=1 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228171745/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/travel-and-tourism/2017/04/08/Saudi-Arabia-plans-on-building-its-largest-cultural-sports-and-recreation-city.html |archive-date=28 December 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=World-class entertainment park coming up in Al-Qiddiya |url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/520308/SAUDI-ARABIA/World-class-entertainment-park-coming-up-in-Al-Qiddiya |work=Saudi Gazette|date=26 October 2017 |access-date=1 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209182345/http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/520308/SAUDI-ARABIA/World-class-entertainment-park-coming-up-in-Al-Qiddiya |archive-date=9 February 2018 }}</ref>
[[File:22- Public Square (My Trip To Al-Jenadriyah 32).jpg|thumb|Portraits of King Salman and Prince Mohammed in [[Jenadriyah]]]]
Further cultural developments followed in December 2017 with Saudi Arabia's first public concert by a female singer, and in January 2018 a sports stadium in [[Jeddah]] became the first in the Kingdom to admit women.<ref name="nypost" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Lydia |date=9 December 2017 |title=Saudi Arabia hosts first-ever concert by female performer |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-first-female-performer-concert-hiba-tawaji-womens-rights-middle-east-a8099646.html |work=[[The Independent]] |access-date=1 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210003739/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-first-female-performer-concert-hiba-tawaji-womens-rights-middle-east-a8099646.html |archive-date=10 February 2018 }}</ref> In April 2018, the first public cinema opened in Saudi Arabia after a ban of 35 years, with plans to have more than 2,000 screens running by 2030.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ellyat |first=Holly |date=18 April 2018 |title=Saudi Arabia brings back movie theaters — and 'staggering' demand is expected |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/18/saudi-arabia-reopens-movie-theaters-with-black-panther.html |publisher=[[CNBC]] |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143906/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/18/saudi-arabia-reopens-movie-theaters-with-black-panther.html |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=David |date=11 December 2017 |title=Saudi Arabia to reopen public cinemas for the first time in 35 years |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/11/saudi-arabia-to-open-public-cinemas-for-the-first-time-in-35-years.html |publisher=[[CNBC]] |access-date=1 February 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125174436/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/11/saudi-arabia-to-open-public-cinemas-for-the-first-time-in-35-years.html |archive-date=25 January 2018 }}</ref>
The first measures undertaken in April 2016 included new taxes and cuts in subsidies, a diversification plan, the creation of a $2 trillion Saudi [[sovereign wealth fund]], and a series of strategic economic reforms called the National Transformation Programme.<ref>{{cite news|author=Ian Black|title=Saudi Arabia approves ambitious plan to move economy beyond oil|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/25/saudi-arabia-approves-ambitious-plan-to-move-economy-beyond-oil|access-date=23 May 2016|work=The Guardian|date=25 April 2016|location=United Kingdom|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517055716/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/25/saudi-arabia-approves-ambitious-plan-to-move-economy-beyond-oil|archive-date=17 May 2016}}</ref> Bin Salman's plans to raise capital for the sovereign wealth fund included selling off shares of [[Saudi Aramco]], the state-owned [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] company,<ref name="businessweek" /> with the capital to be re-invested in other sectors such as to implement the diversification plans.<ref>Saad Al-Qahtani, [https://blogs.thomsonreuters.com/answerson/saudi-aramco-ipo-part-of-kingdoms-diversification-plan/ Saudi Aramco IPO part of Kingdom’s diversification plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707160212/https://blogs.thomsonreuters.com/answerson/saudi-aramco-ipo-part-of-kingdoms-diversification-plan/ |date=7 July 2017 }}, Thomsonreuters.com, 10 May 2017</ref> In October 2017, the plan for Aramco's IPO listing was criticised by ''[[The Economist]]'', which called it "a mess".<ref name="veconomist">{{cite news|title=Saudi Aramco's IPO is a mess|url=https://www.economist.com/news/business/21730469-it-suffering-whims-capricious-crown-prince-saudi-aramcos-ipo-mess|work=[[The Economist]]|date=19 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020084103/https://www.economist.com/news/business/21730469-it-suffering-whims-capricious-crown-prince-saudi-aramcos-ipo-mess|archive-date=20 October 2017}}</ref>
Mohammed binBin Salman slashed the state budget, freezing government contracts and reducing the pay of civil employees as part of drastic austerity measures.<ref name="rattlessaudiarabia">{{cite journal|title=Rise of Prince Mohammed bin Salman rattles Saudi Arabia|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Rise-of-Prince-Mohammed-bin-Salman-rattles-Saudi-Arabia/articleshow/54890310.cms|journal=The Times of India|date=17 October 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202013800/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Rise-of-Prince-Mohammed-bin-Salman-rattles-Saudi-Arabia/articleshow/54890310.cms|archive-date=2 February 2017}}</ref><
In September 2017, bin Salman implemented the [[women to drive movement]]'s multi-decade demand to lift the ban on female drivers.<ref name="economist">{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia will finally allow women to drive|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21729721-bigger-changes-are-needed-ultraconservative-kingdom-saudi-arabia-will|work=The Economist|date=27 September 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928012726/https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21729721-bigger-changes-are-needed-ultraconservative-kingdom-saudi-arabia-will|archive-date=28 September 2017}}</ref> He legislated against some elements of Saudi Arabia's [[Wali (Islamic legal guardian)|Wali]] system, also a topic of a many decade long [[Saudi anti male-guardianship campaign|campaign by women's rights activists]].<ref>{{cite news|title=At last Saudi women will be allowed to take the wheel|url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21729749-next-abolish-male-guardianship-last-saudi-women-will-be-allowed-take-wheel|work=[[The Economist]]|date=30 September 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929140200/https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21729749-next-abolish-male-guardianship-last-saudi-women-will-be-allowed-take-wheel|archive-date=29 September 2017}}</ref>
In October 2017, hebin Salman said that the ultra-conservative Saudi state had been "not normal" for the past 30 years, blaming rigid doctrines that had governed society in a reaction to the [[Iranian Revolution]], which successive leaders "didn't know how to deal with".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/24/i-will-return-saudi-arabia-moderate-islam-crown-prince|title=I will return Saudi Arabia to moderate Islam, says crown prince|first=Martin|last=Chulov|date=24 October 2017|access-date=5 November 2017|work=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105174839/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/24/i-will-return-saudi-arabia-moderate-islam-crown-prince|archive-date=5 November 2017}}</ref> According to him, he aimed to have Saudi Arabia start "returning to what we were before—a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/520191/SAUDI-ARABIA/Kingdom-a-country-of-moderate-Islam|title=Kingdom a country of moderate Islam|date=24 October 2017|publisher=saudigazette.com.sa|access-date=5 November 2017|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025182733/http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/520191/SAUDI-ARABIA/Kingdom-a-country-of-moderate-Islam|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> He was telling the country's clerics that the deal the royal family struck with them after the [[Grand Mosque seizure|1979 siege of the Grand Mosque in Mecca]] was to be renegotiated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-11-05/saudi-arabia-has-its-own-way-of-draining-the-swamp|title=Saudi Sweep Is a Double-Edged Sword|first=Liam|last=Denning|date=5 November 2017|access-date=6 November 2017|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106001229/https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-11-05/saudi-arabia-has-its-own-way-of-draining-the-swamp|archive-date=6 November 2017}}</ref> Building an industrial culture was not compatible with [[Wahhabism]]. The Wahhabis were committed to fixed social and gender relationships. These were consistent with an economy built on oil sales, but industrialization requires a dynamic culture with social relations constantly shifting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://geopoliticalfutures.com/saudi-arabias-saturday-night-massacre/|title=Saudi Arabia's Saturday Night Massacre|publisher=Geopolitical Futures|date=8 November 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115221015/https://geopoliticalfutures.com/saudi-arabias-saturday-night-massacre/|archive-date=15 November 2017}}</ref>
According to ''[[Politico]]'', {{as of|2017|lc=yes}}, Mohammed bin Salman wished to pre-empt a repetition of the downfall of the earlier Saudi states due to familial infighting, internal malaise, external frailty and failure to modernise. Mindful of this history, instead of waiting for today's Saudi state to weaken and fall, MBSbin Salman's aim was to try to save the country before it collapsed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/22/saudi-arabias-populist-king-in-waiting-215857|title=Saudi Arabia's Populist King in Waiting|author=Mishaal al Gergawi|date=22 November 2017|website=politico.com|access-date=25 November 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124210619/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/22/saudi-arabias-populist-king-in-waiting-215857|archive-date=24 November 2017}}</ref>
[[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] claimed that if bin Salman "succeeds in his modernization efforts, Saudis will benefit from new opportunities and freedoms, and the world will benefit from curtailing the Wahhabi radicalization agenda. A decade from now, the kingdom could look more like the United Arab Emirates, its prosperous and relatively forward-looking neighbor."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/opinion/saudi-arabia-qatar-reform.html|title=Opinion – The Plot Behind Saudi Arabia's Fight With Qatar|first=Ayaan Hirsi|last=Ali|date=4 December 2017|access-date=4 December 2017|work=The New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204171307/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/opinion/saudi-arabia-qatar-reform.html|archive-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>
In response to the [[Saudi anti male-guardianship campaign]],<ref name="alRasheed_second_victory" /> the Saudi Government enacted a law that allows women above 21 years old to obtain passports and travel abroad without needing the permission of their male guardians.<ref>{{cite web|date=2019-08-01|title=Saudi Arabia Gives Women Travel Rights in Major Policy Shakeup|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-01/saudi-to-allow-women-to-travel-without-permission-okaz-says?srnd=markets-vp|access-date=1 August 2019|website=bloomberg.com}}</ref> The law will be effective by the end of August 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/02/middleeast/saudi-women-travel-passport-intl-hnk/index.html|title=Saudi Arabian women finally allowed to hold passports and travel independently|author=Jessie Yeung and Hamdi Alkhshali|website=CNN|access-date=2 August 2019}}</ref>
In an interview with a [[CBS]] ''[[60 Minutes]]'' that aired on 29 September 2019, Mohammed bin Salman invited people to visit the Kingdom to see the transformation, asking for people to meet Saudi citizens for themselves.<ref name="cbsnews.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mohammad-bin-salman-denies-ordering-khashoggi-murder-but-says-he-takes-responsibility-for-it-60-minutes-2019-09-29/|title=Mohammad bin Salman denies ordering Khashoggi murder, but says he takes responsibility for it|website=cbsnews.com|language=en|access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref>
On 26 April 2020, the [[Supreme Judicial Council of Saudi Arabia]] abolished [[flogging]] as a punishment in the country, stating that the decision was "an extension of the human rights reforms introduced under the direction of King Salman and the direct supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Agencies|date=25 April 2020|title=Saudi Arabia to end flogging as a form of punishment|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/25/saudi-arabia-to-end-flogging-as-a-form-of-punishment|access-date=30 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The following day, the [[Human Rights Commission (Saudi Arabia)|Human Rights Commission of Saudi Arabia]] reported the enactment of a [[royal decree]] abolishing [[death penalty]] for crimes committed by minors.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=27 April 2020|title=Saudi Arabia ends death penalty for crimes committed by minors|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/27/saudi-arabia-ends-death-penalty-for-minors|access-date=30 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
On 27 April 2020 the [[Human Rights Commission (Saudi Arabia)|Human Rights Commission of Saudi Arabia]] reported the enactment of a [[royal decree]] abolishing [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] for crimes committed by minors.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=27 April 2020|title=Saudi Arabia ends death penalty for crimes committed by minors|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/27/saudi-arabia-ends-death-penalty-for-minors|access-date=30 April 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
=== Human rights ===
| 