The Federal National Council approves 8 constitutional amendments and approves 676 draft laws during 18 legislative terms.

The Federal National Council, which was established with the launch of the Federation of the United Arab Emirates, contributed to the process of construction, development, leadership, and comprehensive sustainable development of the state, and was keen to keep pace with the leadership’s vision, directions, and strategic plans of the state.

Since its establishment, the Federal National Council has received unlimited attention and support from the late founding leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and the founding fathers, out of their belief that the Council is one of the federal institutions that embodies the effective participation of citizens in the decision-making process, and entrenches the principles of Shura.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, continues the approach of the founding fathers in strengthening the Shura approach, by emphasizing the importance of the Council’s role in adopting various issues that concern the people of the nation and contribute to supporting the development and progress of the state. His Highness’s directives during his meetings with the President and members of the Council reflected his vision of the importance of the Council continuing its national journey, which has been characterized throughout its history as a conscious march stemming from the specificity of Emirati society, its inherent values, and its development needs.

To enable the Federal National Council to exercise its constitutional powers efficiently and competently, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, issued Resolution No. 11 of 2023 regarding the internal regulations of the Federal National Council, which included amendments related to the formation of committees and their work, and organizational affairs related to strengthening the work of legislative and oversight specialists and parliamentary diplomacy, thus contributing to strengthening parliamentary work at the internal and external levels.

The political program announced by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, also contributed to enabling the Federal National Council to exercise its constitutional powers, as the program included a number of important pillars, namely: Constitutional Amendment No. 1 of 2009, the participation of women as members and voters, and the organization of elections for council membership that took place during the years 2006, 2011, and 2015. And 2019 and 2023 AD, and issuing a decision to ratio women’s representation in the Council to half of the Council’s members, in a historic step that consolidates the state’s approach to supporting and empowering women.

Keeping up with the state’s trends and vision

The Federal National Council kept pace with the vision and directions of the wise leadership during 18 legislative terms, holding 682 sessions, during which it approved eight constitutional amendments, approved 676 draft laws, discussed 358 general topics, directed 1,106 questions to government representatives, covering various sectors, issued 83 statements, and signed 54 memorandums of cooperation with parliaments and regional and international institutions.

The Council’s performance during the current eighteenth legislative term, which began on November 6, 2023, embodies the integration of the effective partnership between the executive and legislative authorities to advance the interests of the nation. During the first and second sessions, the Council held 26 sessions during which it approved 14 draft laws, discussed and adopted its recommendations for 15 general topics, and asked 49 questions to government representatives.

The topic of government policy regarding artificial intelligence is the first topic discussed by the Council in its second regular session, which began on November 25, 2024 AD, with the aim of keeping pace with the state’s vision, directions and plans in this regard. The first parliamentary legislative forum on best legislative practices in the field of artificial intelligence, which was organized by the Council on October 7, 2025 AD, with the participation of representatives of the Gulf legislative councils, to discuss the legislative challenges posed by the smart technology revolution, and during the forum the Federal National Council’s package for artificial intelligence tools was launched. Parliament, with the aim of enhancing the efficiency of legislative and oversight work.

The parliamentary diplomacy of the Federal National Council paralleled the official political diplomacy of the UAE, as it contributed to strengthening fraternal relations and cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries, and building distinguished parliamentary partnerships with influential international institutions, to express the country’s positions on various national, regional and international events and issues, and to devote the civilized image of the UAE in a way that enhances and supports its position and leadership among the countries and peoples of the world.

The Federal National Council chaired the eighteenth periodic meeting of their Excellencies the heads of the Shura, Representatives, National and Nation Councils of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, headed by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Council. The UAE also won the presidency of the Arab Parliament in October 2024, which is the third time that the state has presided over this institution since 2012. The Council has achieved achievements by chairing a number of committees of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and chairing the Forum for Women Parliamentarians of the Mediterranean Parliament, which reflects The confidence of regional and international parliaments in the UAE’s parliamentary diplomacy.

General Secretariat of the Council

The General Secretariat of the Federal National Council is adopting a plan under the slogan “The Smartest and Most Sustainable Parliament,” which includes a number of strategic axes around business efficiency, research and development, smart digital empowerment, and sustainability, in accordance with the parliamentary knowledge management methodology, with the aim of providing the best forms of support to the Council’s organs.

Among the projects of the General Secretariat is the Enrichment Initiative, which aims to raise the effectiveness of parliamentary discussions through educational programs aimed at enriching the personal and specialized knowledge of members of the Federal National Council and the Secretariat staff. The initiative works to provide parliamentary information and knowledge under the umbrella first during participation in various parliamentary activities.