United Arab Emirates:
Leadership Chapter 3: Persian Gulf, Arabian Peninsula
United Arab Emirates:
Leadership
Background
/ Government Structure / Political Conditions
Overview
/ System Essentials / Infrastructure
/ Population / Fielded Forces
/ Table of Contents
Zayid ibn Al Nuhayyan, president of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi
Administratively, the UAE is a loose federation of seven emirates, each with its own ruler. The pace at which local government in each emirate evolves from traditional to modern is set primarily by the ruler. Under the provisional constitution of 1971, each emirate reserves considerable powers, including control over mineral rights (notably oil) and revenues. In this milieu, federal powers have developed slowly. The provisional constitution was extended for another 5 years in December 1991.
The Supreme Council of Rulers, which is composed of the hereditary monarchical rulers of the seven emirates, is the highest federal authority in the UAE. Rule is by consensus as all decisions of the Supreme Council must be approved by five of the seven members, two of which must be the rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. A president (chief of state) and vice president are elected from the Supreme Council and serve five year terms. It is the president's responsibility to appoint a Prime Minister and the Federal Council of Ministers to serve as the executive authority responsible to the Supreme Council. The 40-member Federal National Council is the legislative body and members are appointed for two years by the emirate rulers. The function of the Federal National Council is to review laws and policy proposed by the Council of Ministers.
The relative political and financial influence of each emirate is reflected in the allocation of positions in the federal government. The ruler of Abu Dhabi, whose emirate is the UAE's major oil producer, is president of the UAE. The ruler of Dubai, which is the UAE's commercial center and a significant oil producer, is vice president and prime minister.
Since achieving independence in 1971, the UAE has strengthened its federal institutions. Nonetheless, each emirate still retains substantial autonomy, and progress towards greater federal integration has slowed. A basic concept in the UAE federal system is that a significant percentage of each emirate's revenues is devoted to the UAE central budget.
The UAE has no political parties. The rulers hold power on the basis of their dynastic position and their legitimacy in a system of tribal consensus.