Emiratis are staking their claim to stand as candidates in October's Federal National Council elections.
Nominations are being accepted in person at nine registration centres until Friday.
On its first day, the FNC received 162 applications, of which 58 were submitted in Abu Dhabi, 23 in Dubai, 29 in Sharjah, 12 in Ajman, 12 in Umm Al Quwain, 19 in Ras Al Khaimah and nine in Fujairah.
The FNC, the UAE's consultative parliament, seeks to scrutinise decision-making in the Emirates, hold ministers to account and give a voice to the public.
Council members are drawn from all seven emirates and represent the views and concerns of their electorate on important local issues.
How does the nomination process work?
Those hoping for a position on the council must meet certain criteria.
Potential candidates must be Emirati and a permanent resident of the emirate they hope to represent.
They must be at least 25-years-old at the closing of the nomination.
Nominees must also have a good reputation and not have been convicted of any criminal offence, the only exceptions being for “those whose reputations have been restored in the eyes of the law”.
Anyone whose name is listed in the electoral entities' lists is required to submit a nomination request through the link available on the committee's website, www.uaenec.ae.
Registration can also be done through the National Election Committee – uaenec app, which is available on Apple Store and Google Play.
The nomination process opened at 8am on Monday and will continue until 4pm on Friday. Registration centres can also receive nomination requests during the same period.
There is a registration fee of Dh3,000.
The preliminary list of candidates will be announced on Friday, August 25, and the final list will be announced on Saturday, September 2.
-
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, shakes hands with the members of the Federal National Council after opening the First Ordinary Session of the 7th Legislative Chapter at the Cultural Foundation in January 1988. Photo: FNC -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, opens the Second Ordinary Session of the 5th Legislative Chapter of the Federal National Council in December 1982. Also pictured are Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah; Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman; Sheikh Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain; Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah; Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah; Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; and Hilal Lootah, President of the Federal National Council. Photo: FNC -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, opens the Second Ordinary Session of the 5th Legislative Chapter of the Federal National Council in December 1982. Photo: FNC -
The Federal National Council, one of the five federal authorities of the UAE, celebrated its golden jubilee by releasing pictures from throughout its 50-year history. Photo: FNC -
The council contributes to national development, translating the leadership’s vision and citizens’ aspirations, embodying the Shura, or consultation, approach. Photo: FNC -
A council session. Photo: FNC -
President Sheikh Khalifa has directed that half of the council's seats must be taken by women. Photo: FNC -
Speaker Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, centre, secretary general Mohammed Al Mazrouei, left, and Sharjah member Obaid Al Muhairi in 2008. Photo: FNC -
President Sheikh Khalifa and the rulers of the seven emirates were at the opening of the council's session at the FNC building in Abu Dhabi in November 2011. Silvia Razgova / The National -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, surrounded by the rulers of the emirates and Federal National Council members after opening the First Ordinary Session of the 10th Legislative Chapter in December 1995. Photo: FNC -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, leaves the FNC hall in December 1995. Photo: FNC -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, greets council members in 1995. Photo: FNC -
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, receives the reply to the opening speech delivered at the First Ordinary Session of the 11th Legislative Chapter from Mohammed Khalifa bin Habtoor, President of the Federal National Council in April 1998. Photo: FNC -
The President Sheikh Khalifa and the rulers of the seven emirates attend the Federal National Council in November 2011. Silvia Razgova / The National -
A meeting of the Federal National Council in 2008. Ryan Carter / The National -
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, delivers a speech at the opening session of the Federal National Council in October 2010. Lee Hoagland / The National -
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi was appointed Deputy Speaker in 2011, the first time in the GCC a woman had held such a position. She became Speaker in 2015. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National.
What is the FNC?
The FNC was established in 1971, with its first session convened by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the following year.
The parliament is made up of 40 members – 20 appointed directly by the Rulers of the emirates – with the remainder elected by public vote.
The FNC is responsible for passing, amending and rejecting federal draft laws.
It is also responsible for reviewing the Annual General Budget, international treaties and agreements and other federal affairs in line with the constitution.
In 2018, the late President Sheikh Khalifa directed that women occupy half of the seats of the council.
The ruling came into effect for the FNC's 17th legislative chapter, which began in November 2019.
Where are the registration centres?
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Masoudi Council, Al Ain
Al Dhafra Municipality
Dubai
Hatta Hall (C&D) at Dubai World Trade Centre
Sharjah
Consultative Council of Sharjah
Ajman
Sheikh Hamid Bin Rashid Hall, Ajman Museum
Umm Al Quwain
The Ministry of Community Development
Ras Al Khaimah
Creative Youth Centre in Al Dhait
Fujairah
Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
When does the election vote begin?
The next round of voting for the Federal National Council will take place on October 7.
The NEC has announced there are 398,879 electoral college members eligible to vote, an 18.1 per cent increase over 2019.
The representation of women in the electoral college lists for 2023 has increased to 51 per cent, compared to 49 per cent for men, the NEC said, according to state news agency Wam.
Fifty-five per cent of the list comprises men and women aged 21-40.
Nearly 30 per cent was made up of people aged 21-30, and just over 25 per cent was made up of people aged 31-40.
Recently, authorities announced that voting will be possible remotely, both from inside and outside the Emirates. A hybrid system has been created that combines remote and in-person voting to maximise convenience to voters.
If people vote more than once, whether at polling centres or remotely, only their last vote will count.
