United Arab Emirates Government

The United Arab Emirates is made up of seven Emirates. The government of the UAE is made up of a framework that can be described as democratic, absolute monarchy, and federal. Each of the Emirates has its ruler, or Emir. The constitution of 1977 states that each Emirate holds notable powers including control over the minerals and revenues collected. The government of the UAE has three branches of the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Legislative and executive duties are divided into the Emirate and federal authorities. The executive branch of the government includes the Federal Supreme Council and the cabinet. The Federal Supreme Court makes up the judiciary and laws of the nation are based on the Sharia laws. The seven rulers of each of the Emirates make up the Federal Supreme Council. The Federal National Council is the executive branch of the government.

The president, prime minister and 20 members of parliament are all nominated by members of the National Federal Council. The president and prime minister are given five-year terms. The UAE president is Abu Dhabi’s ruler, while the prime minister is Dubai’s emir. The UAE cabinet consists of 40 representatives, 20 of whom are appointed by the Emirs and the other 20 are elected. The cabinet is headed by a prime minister who is chosen by the president. The elected members serve for a term of four-years, and they only advise the council. The elected members should; be at least 25 years of age, be a citizen of the Emirate they want to represent and be literate. On December 2, 2005, reforms to the constitution allowed each ruler to select an Electoral College for their emirate. The electoral colleges were given the responsibility to elect the Federal National Council’s members for their emirate. The UAE held its first ever election in December 2006.

Parliament holds sessions at the Federal National Council New parliament building complex. The building house’s several other public facilities and is located in Abu Dhabi. The complex incorporates Islamic and contemporary designs and has male and female prayer rooms. The front entrance faces Abu Dhabi’s Corniche. The president resides in the presidential Diana in Abu Dhabi and the prime minister, who is also the vice president, resides in Dubai at Za’abeel palace.

Political parties are forbidden in the UAE and therefore it has a closed political system where there are no elections. The members in all legislative positions are appointed or elected as individual candidates. The president appoints the prime minister and the whole cabinet, who manages the daily affairs. The president of the United Arab Emirates is always the ruler of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, and is the head of state. While the ruler of the emirates of Dubai is the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and is the head of the government.