Federal Supreme Council

{{Short description|Highest constitutional authority in the UAE}}

{{For|other supreme councils|Supreme Council (disambiguation)#Politics and government{{!}}Supreme Council (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox legislature

|name = Federal Supreme Council

|legislature =

|coa_pic =

|session_room =

|house_type = Unicameral

|term_limits =

|structure2 =

|structure2_res =

|leader1_type = President

|leader1 = Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

|party1 =

|election1 =

|leader2_type = Vice President

|leader2 = Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan

|party2 =

|election2 =

|leader4_type =

|leader4 =

|party4 =

|election4 =

|leader5_type =

|leader5 =

|party5 =

|election5 =

|members = 7 (one for each emirate)

|last_election1 =

|meeting_place = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

|website = [https://uaecabinet.ae/en/federal-supreme-council Official website]

|established={{Start date and age|2 December 1971}}|preceded_by=Trucial States Council}}

The Federal Supreme Council ({{langx|ar|المجلس الأعلى للاتحاد|lit=Supreme Council of the Union}}), also known as the Supreme Council of Rulers,{{Cite book |last=Humaid |first=Dr Salem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A12HDwAAQBAJ&dq=Supreme+Council+of+Rulers+united+arab+emirates&pg=PA30 |title=What do you know about the United Arab Emirates & Emirati Citizen ? |date=2012 |publisher=Al Mezmaah Studies Research Center |isbn=978-9948-16-309-1 |language=en}} is the highest constitutional authority in the United Arab Emirates, being the highest legislative and executive body.{{Cite web|title=The Supreme Council - The Official Portal of the UAE Government|url=https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/the-uae-government/the-federal-supreme-council|access-date=2021-02-14|website=u.ae|language=en}} It replaced the earlier Trucial States Council upon the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Christopher M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HenL2RXSYMQC&dq=trucial+states+council+renamed&pg=PA61 |title=Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond |date=2011 |publisher=Hurst |isbn=978-1-84904-153-9 |language=en}} and establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation. It is the highest federal authority in terms of hierarchy in the five federal authorities prescribed in the Constitution followed by the president and the vice president, federal cabinet, Federal National Council and the federal judiciary. It is made up of the rulers of each of the Emirates of the United Arab Emirates.

History

Trucial States Council was established as an informal consultative body and held its first meeting on 23 March 1952{{Cite book |last=Kamøy |first=Kristin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GOcJEAAAQBAJ&dq=trucial+states+council+march+1952&pg=PP43 |title=Diversity of Law in the United Arab Emirates: Privacy, Security, and the Legal System |date=2020-12-16 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-29191-9 |language=en}} to bring the rulers closer together with the possibility of their forming some political or economic association in the future.{{Cite book |last=Rugh |first=A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1GaJDAAAQBAJ&dq=trucial+states+council+established+1952&pg=PA81 |title=The Political Culture of Leadership in the United Arab Emirates |date=2007-03-05 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-60349-3 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Legrenzi |first=Matteo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaSmDwAAQBAJ&dq=trucial+states+council+established+1952&pg=PT28 |title=The GCC and the International Relations of the Gulf: Diplomacy, Security and Economic Coordination in a Changing Middle East |date=2015-07-31 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-85773-386-3 |language=en}} It came into being following the British recognition of Fujairah as an independent emirate within the Trucial States.{{Cite book |last=Peck |first=Malcolm C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PguBHE07e6IC&dq=trucial+states+council+renamed&pg=PR27 |title=The A to Z of the Gulf Arab States |date=2010-04-12 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-1-4617-3190-0 |language=en}} The council met twice a year under the chairmanship of the British representative in Dubai and held 30 such meetings between 1952 and 1968.{{Cite book |last=Lea |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f25h1qJLtnAC&dq=trucial+states+council+established+1952&pg=PA242 |title=A Political Chronology of the Middle East |date=2001 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-1-85743-115-5 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Legrenzi |first=Matteo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaSmDwAAQBAJ&dq=trucial+states+council+established+1952&pg=PT28 |title=The GCC and the International Relations of the Gulf: Diplomacy, Security and Economic Coordination in a Changing Middle East |date=2015-07-31 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-85773-386-3 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Ansari |first=Shahid Jamal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJ3VNteMgp0C&dq=trucial+states+council+1968&pg=PA188 |title=Political Modernization in the Gulf |date=1998 |publisher=Northern Book Centre |isbn=978-81-7211-088-8 |language=en}} In 1964, Adi Bitar was appointed as a legal adviser to the council. In 1965, the Trucial Coast Development Council was established. In 1966, the British political agency withdrew itself from presiding over the meetings and Sheikh Saqr al-Qasimi was elected as the president. He was soon replaced by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi.{{Cite book |last=Abdullah |first=Mohammad Morsy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uYJEAAAQBAJ&dq=trucial+states+council+1968&pg=RA1-PA20 |title=The United Arab Emirates: A Modern History |date=2020-11-26 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-15635-5 |language=en}}

After the Union in 1971, the Trucial States Council consisted of the six rulers of the Emirates who signed the Constitution and was renamed as the Federal Supreme Council. It elected Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, emir of Abu Dhabi, as president and appointed a federal cabinet. On 23 December 1971, the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah sent a letter to the Council requesting to join the union. The Council agreed to the request and the Ras al-Khaimah was admitted to the Union on 10 February 1972.

Council meetings

The Federal Supreme Council meets four times each year and its meetings are often on an informal basis and attend meetings of the Board, consisting of the seven rulers of the emirates or those acting in their emirate in the case of their absence. Each has one vote in the council's resolutions.

Council functions

The Supreme Council of the Union has the following functions:

The general policies in all matters entrusted to the Union by this Constitution consider what achieves the objectives of the Union and the common interests of the member Emirates.
The ratification of the various federal laws before they are issued, including the laws of the annual general budget of the Union and the final account.
The ratification of the decrees on the subject matters under the provisions of this Constitution for the ratification or approval of the Federal Supreme Council before the issuance of these decrees by the president.
Ratification of institutions and agreements are ratified by decree.
To approve the appointment of the prime minister and the cabinet and the acceptance of their resignation and removal from office upon the proposal of the president.
To approve the appointment of the president and Judges of the Federal Supreme Court and the acceptance of their resignations and dismissal in the circumstances prescribed in the Constitution. Are all decrees.
High control over the affairs of the Union in general.
Any other functions stipulated in this Constitution or federal laws.

Current members

The Federal Supreme Council consists of the rulers of the seven emirates:{{Cite web|title=The Supreme Council - The Official Portal of the UAE Government|url=https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/the-uae-government/the-federal-supreme-council#Members%20of%20the%20Federal%20Supreme%20Council|access-date=2021-02-14|website=u.ae|language=en}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" border="1"
colspan=2\|Current member ! rowspan=2\|Since ! rowspan=2\|Status ! rowspan=2\|Title ! rowspan=2\|Emirate
Portrait !Name
100px \|Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan \|2022 \|Ruler of Abu Dhabi \|President \|{{Country\|Abu Dhabi}}
145x145px \|Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum \|2006 \|Ruler of Dubai \|Vice President, Prime Minister \|{{Country\|Dubai}}
125x125px \|Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi \|1972 \|Ruler of Sharjah \|Member of the Federal Supreme Council \|{{Country\|Sharjah}}
\|Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi \|1981 \|Ruler of Ajman \|Member of the Federal Supreme Council \|{{Country\|Ajman}}
125x125px \|Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi \|1974 \| Ruler of Fujairah \|Member of the Federal Supreme Council \|{{Country\|Fujairah }}
\|Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla \|2009 \|Ruler of Umm al-Quwain \|Member of the Federal Supreme Council \|{{Country\|Umm al-Quwain}}
136x136px \|Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi \|2010 \|Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah \|Member of the Federal Supreme Council \|{{Country\|Ras al-Khaimah}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" border="1"

colspan=2|Current member

! rowspan=2|Since

! rowspan=2|Status

! rowspan=2|Title

! rowspan=2|Emirate

Portrait

!Name

100px

|Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

|2022

|Ruler of Abu Dhabi