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Power behind the throne

Informal influence over a political figure

Informal influence over a political figure

The phrase "power behind the throne" refers to a person or group that is understood to de facto wield the power of a high-ranking official (for example, a monarch), or whose support must be maintained to continue in office. In politics, it most commonly refers to a nominal subordinate or advisor to an officeholder (often called a "figurehead") who serves as de facto leader, setting policy through their influence. A similar meaning is conveyed by the term éminence grise.

Examples

Some examples of a "power behind the throne" include the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who effectively rules the country for his -year old father King Salman. Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, who acted on behalf of Emir and President of the UAE Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan after he suffered a stroke in 2014, was often considered the de facto president of the UAE until Khalifa's death in 2022. In Qatar, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani was often called the power behind the throne of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. In Tonga, Australian missionary Rodger Page emerged as the most influential adviser of Queen Sālote, serving as royal chaplain to her for over 20 years. In Mexico, Joseph-Marie Córdoba Montoya, a naturalized Mexican of French origin, was chief of staff during the term of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988–1994), and was considered the second-most powerful person in Mexico at the time. Diego Portales of Chile, who had significant influence in the political life of his country in early 1830s, reflected in the Constitution of 1833.

References

References

  1. (1993). "The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms". Wordsworth Editions.
  2. (6 October 2020). "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, power behind the throne". BBC News.
  3. "UAE leader returns after lengthy unexplained absence". Middle East Eye.
  4. Worth, Robert F.. (9 January 2020). "Mohammed bin Zayed's Dark Vision of the Middle East's Future". The New York Times.
  5. (25 June 2013). "Qatar's Succession Drama". The Daily Beast.
  6. Lātūkefu, Sione. (1995). "Lines Across the Sea: Colonial Inheritance in the Post Colonial Pacific". Pacific History Association.
  7. Jane Bussey, "Joseph Marie Córdoba Montoya" in ''Encyclopedia of Mexico'' vol. 1. p. 344. Chicago: Fitzroy and Dearborn 1997.
  8. "Reseñas Biográficas – Diego Portales Palazuelos". [[Library of Congress of Chile]].
  9. "Diego Portales". [[Encyclopaedia Britannica]].
  10. (1991). "The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories". Merriam-Webster.
  11. (1968). "Martin Bormann". Morrow.
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deep-politics english-phrases oligarchy control-(social-and-political) government-institutions
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