Momentum: The how, when and why of UAE democracy - Gulf News

Quoting:

There has been increasing talk about political participation in the UAE and developing the performance of the Federal National Council (FNC) among educated UAE nationals and academicians.

The growing calls for elections and giving UAE nationals their right to elect their legislative body have not been limited to discussions among citizens alone. The local media has also debated the issue through editorials and seminars.

UAE writers and columnists have written about having a house with elected members. Among them are Dr Khalifa Bakhit Al Falasi, who wrote an article in the Arabic daily Al Bayan and Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah, who wrote a piece in another Arabic daily, Al Khaleej.

Al Falasi is an intellectual and a diplomat. He was the UAE's ambassador to Australia and a former undersecretary at the Ministry of Education. Dr Abdullah is an academic and a well-known social activist.
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Dr Saeed Hareb, another academic, says it is embarrassing that Iraqi expatriates had voted in the UAE for their country's election, but UAE nationals do not have the right to franchise.

He says this is a very touchy issue for UAE nationals seeing Iraqis voting in their land, while they are deprived of the ballot.

These talks and calls may gain momentum.