Parliamentary question: Insights from the Federal National Council in the UAE

Abstract

This paper highlights the paramount role of parliamentary questioning as a control mechanism exercised by the Federal National Council (FNC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The surge in its utilization, attributed to heightened awareness among FNC members and ministers, has significantly enhanced the Council's control capabilities, especially in the absence of alternative parliamentary control instruments such as interpellations. The paper underscores the simplicity and adaptability of parliamentary questioning, which spans diverse topics and addresses everyday state matters, rectifies errors, monitors law implementation, and fills legislative gaps. The structure of the paper comprises two sections: the first scrutinizes procedural requirements within the UAE's Constitution and the FNC's Bylaw, while the second section explores practical examples, offering insights into the distinctive nature of the FNC's parliamentary questioning compared to regional practices.