In an unexpected reshuffle that is likely to see a shift in government policy, two powerful figures have been sacked and a woman appointed to the highest post ever held by a female.

The news is from Saudi Arabia, where King Abdullah has sacked Sheikh Salih Ibn al-Luhaydan, who was the country’s head judge and had talked about it being acceptable to kill the owners of TV channels that broadcast immoral shows.

Also gone is Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ghaith, the former head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (aka Saudi Arabia’s religious police).

Norah al-Faiz has become the first woman to hold as senior a post as deputy minister, having become Deputy Education Minister for Women’s Affairs.

In a further modest step towards religious moderation, the King has also ordered changes to religious scholars body, the Grand Ulama Commission. Although it will still be Sunnis-only, the body – which was previously governed by the Hanbali sect – will now include moderate Sunnis.

The one slightly contrary move is the sacking of Iyad bin Amin Madani from the post of Information Minister, as he had been under fire for allowing local press freedom to criticise the authorities.

It is hard to tell as this point how quite major the impact of these changes will be. Although when he became King Abdullah talked about reform, not much has happened since. This is though the first major reshuffle since then, involving more than just the changes mentioned above, and overall younger moderates are replacing older religious hardliners. Interesting times.