| President of the United Arab Emirates | |
|---|---|
| رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة | |
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| Executive branch of the Federal Government of the United Arab Emirates | |
| Style | His Highness |
| Type | Head of state |
| Member of | Federal Supreme Council |
| Residence | Qasr Al Watan |
| Seat | Abu Dhabi |
| Appointer | Federal Supreme Council |
| Term length | Five years, renewable |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of the United Arab Emirates |
| Inaugural holder | Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan |
| Formation | 2 December 1971; 54 years ago (1971-12-02) |
| Deputy | Vice President |
| Website | Official website |
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Related topics |
 United Arab Emirates portal |
Thepresident of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic:رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة), or theRaʾīs (رَئِيْس), is thehead of state of theUnited Arab Emirates (UAE).
The president andvice presidents arede jure elected every five years by theFederal Supreme Council, and theprime minister of the United Arab Emirates isde jure appointed by the president.De facto, the ruler of theEmirate of Abu Dhabi holds the presidency and the ruler of theEmirate of Dubai holds the premiership. The president is also thecommander-in-chief of theUAE Armed Forces. The United Arab Emirates is the only presidential monarchy in the world.
SheikhZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was widely credited with unifying the seven emirates into onefederal state. He was the UAE's first president from the formation of the UAE until his death on 2 November 2004. He was succeeded by his son, SheikhKhalifa bin Zayed, who died in office on 13 May 2022.[1] Following his brother Khalifa's death, SheikhMohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected the third and current president of the UAE by the Federal Supreme Council on 14 May 2022.[2]
The president andvice president are elected every five years by theFederal Supreme Council (FSC). The FSC, which is the highest constitutional body in the UAE, consists of all seven emirates. The FSC meets every five years and either reaffirms the existing president or elect a new one.[3][4] The rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai must be among the five required votes, giving the two largest emirates an effective veto power.[3][5] The term is five years according to the Gregorian calendar, and they are eligible to be re-elected for the same office.[2] If either offices of the president or vice-president become vacant due to death, resignation, or other circumstances, the FSC is required to meet within a month and elect a successor for the remainder of the term.[6][7]
The President serves as the head of state.[3][8] The president's primary role includes overseeing the execution of policy and law.[9][4] The president is also thecommander-in-chief of theUnited Arab Emirates Armed Forces. Theprime minister of the United Arab Emirates is appointed by the president[4]
| No. | Portrait | Name (Lifespan) | Term of office | Emirate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 | .jpg) | Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان (1918–2004) | 2 December 1971 | 2 November 2004[5] (Died in office) | 32 years, 336 days |  Abu Dhabi |
| — |  | Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum مكتوم بن راشد آل مكتوم (1943–2006) | 2 November 2004 | 3 November 2004 | 1 day |  Dubai |
| 2 |  | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان (1948–2022) | 3 November 2004[6] | 13 May 2022[7] (Died in office) | 17 years, 191 days | Abu Dhabi |
| — | _(cropped).jpg) | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم (born 1949) | 13 May 2022[9] | 14 May 2022 | 1 day | Dubai |
| 3 | | Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan محمد بن زايد آل نهيان (born 1961) | 14 May 2022[2] | Incumbent | 3 years, 278 days | Abu Dhabi |
Thepresidential standard is a special version of the UAE flag reserved for the head of state. It is distinct from the original national flag and is regulated by federal protocol. This flag is exclusive to the president and cannot be raised by other federal or private entities.[10][11][12][13]
Similar to the national flag, the green color is associated with growth and prosperity, white symbolizes peace and generosity, black symbolizes strength and resilience, and red with sacrifice and unity.[12][13][14][15]
The emblem on the presidential standard shows a golden falcon with outstretched wings holding a parchment that had the state’s name in Arabic, with a circular shield on its chest that reproduces the UAE flag surrounded by seven stars. The falcon is a long‑standing symbol of strength and heritage in the Gulf, while the seven stars represent the seven emirates.[15][16]
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