The president of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic: رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة), or the Raʾīs (Arabic: رَئِيْس), is the head of state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[1] [2]
The president and vice presidents are de jure elected every five years by the Federal Supreme Council, and the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates is de jure appointed by the president.[3] De facto, the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi holds the presidency and the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai holds the premiership. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the UAE Armed Forces.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was widely credited with unifying the seven emirates into one federal 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, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, who died in office on 13 May 2022.[4] Following his brother Khalifa's death, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected the third and current president of the UAE by the Federal Supreme Council on 14 May 2022.[5]
| Portrait | Name(Birth–Death) | Term of office | Emirate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | Sheikh
Arabic: زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان | 2 December 1971 | 2 November 2004[6] (Died in office) | ||||
| – | Sheikh
Arabic: مكتوم بن راشد آل مكتوم | 2 November 2004 | 3 November 2004 | ||||
| 2 | Sheikh
Arabic: خليفة بن زايد آل نهيان | 3 November 2004[7] | 13 May 2022[8] (Died in office) | ||||
| – | Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Arabic: محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم | 13 May 2022[9] | 14 May 2022 | ||||
| 3 | Sheikh
Arabic: محمد بن زايد آل نهيان | 14 May 2022 | Incumbent | ||||