Abu Dhabi: The UAE's 2006 democratic experience may be repeated, with only one exception - the electoral college would be doubled to more than 12,000 Emiratis, picked by Their Highnesses the Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, sources told Gulf News.
A decision is expected to set a date for elections to choose 50 per cent of the members of the 40-member House by the new electoral college.
The rest of the FNC members will be named by the Rulers. An Election Committee will then draw up executive instructions to start the polling process.
In an address to the nation marking the end of the polling process in 2006, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said that while the FNC had in the past helped the government draw legislation and address many issues, its role would be expanded "to enrich and develop our parliamentary experiment".
Speaking on Tuesday as the House ended its 14th legislative term. FNC members demanded more empowerment, nearly five years since half of its members were elected.
They called for steps to broaden political participation and the creation of a full-fledged legislature.
