ABU DHABI // There is no restriction on the number of citizens that each emirate may allow to vote for the FNC, the chairman of the National Elections Committee said yesterday.
The UAE "specifies the minimum limit, while the maximum limit is left open", said Dr Anwar Gargash, who is also the former Minister of FNC Affairs. Dr Gargash first released his statement about the voting numbers on WAM, the state news agency.
The UAE will hold its second-ever elections for half of the members of the FNC on September 24. The other half of the 40-member council are appointed by the rulers of the emirates.
Each emirate also chooses who gets to vote in the council's elections. In the last elections, in 2006, more than 6,600 Emiratis were appointed to the electoral college and were given the right to vote.
Dr Gargash's statement is not a departure from official UAE policy, but two former FNC members said it may be a response to concerns raised by former FNC members and other groups that not enough nationals have been given the right to vote. But the former FNC members also downplayed the announcement.
"This is politics talk. To say there is no ceiling, this is playing with words. For example, if the minimum is 30, they could make the ceiling 31," said Dr Abdulraheem al Shaheen, a former FNC member from Ras al Khaimah.
However, Dr Sultan al Muazzin, a former FNC member from Fujairah, said that Dr Gargash's statements were meant as a clarification, and that criticisms of the size of the electoral college were confined to a minority. He stressed that the process should not immediately be open to everyone, or the result could be chaotic. "They already choose from all government departments people who are qualified to take that role."
A petition last month signed by 130 Emiratis and addressed to Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE, and to the Federal Supreme Council called for direct, universal elections for the FNC and full parliamentary powers for the largely advisory government body, which can amend but not initiate legislation.
The petition echoed frequent demands by former FNC members to widen political participation and empower the council.
"The democratisation of the elections is not the core issue, the focus should be on strengthening the influence and authority of the council," said Sultan al Suwaidi, a former FNC member from Dubai.
A presidential decree in February tripled the minimum size of the electoral college in each emirate. That figure is now 300 times the number of representatives each emirate has in the council. For instance, Dubai has eight representatives at the FNC, so it must grant voting rights to at least 2,400 of its citizens.
There is a debate among FNC members about whether to give voting rights to all Emiratis.
However, Dr Muazzin opposed such a step, saying people have no political demands in the country, and the Government was the one that initiated the move towards electing members of the FNC.
But Dr al Shaheen said the Government should simply grant the right to vote to all citizens without placing the burden on individual emirates. "All citizens have equal rights, so anyone who fits the criteria should be allowed to vote."
But the decree does not place a ceiling on voting rights, which means an emirate can theoretically give universal suffrage to its citizens.
In the past, individual emirates did grant voting rights to more citizens than the minimum, but the numbers varied in scale.
In 2006, Fujairah could grant the right to vote to at least 400 of its citizens. It appointed 418. By contrast, Abu Dhabi, which was allowed an electoral college of at least 800, appointed nearly 1,800 members to the electoral college.
hdajani@thenational.ae
Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)
Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
SPECS
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Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 3
Gayle (23'), Perez (59', 63')
Chelsea 0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions:
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 5
Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'
Huddersfield 0
