# Constitution of the United Arab Emirates/Part 4-2

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CHAPTER (2) THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
Article (51)
The Federal Supreme Council elects from among its members a President and a Vice President. The Vice President exercises all the powers of the President in the event of the President’s absence for any reason.
Article (52)
The term of office of the President and the Vice President is five years according to the Gregorian calendar and may be re-elected for the same office.
The President and the Vice President takes, on assuming office, the following oath before the Supreme Council
   “I swear by Allah, the Great, that I shall be faithful to the United Arab Emirates; respect its Constitution and laws; protect the interests of the people of the UAE; discharge my duties honestly and faithfully, and safeguard the independence of the UAE and its territorial integrity.”
Article (53)
Where the office of the President or the Vice President falls vacant for death or resignation, or because any one of them ceases to be the Ruler in his Emirate for any reason, the Supreme Council is called into session within a month from that date to elect a successor to the vacant office for the period mentioned in Article 52 hereof. In the event that the two offices of the President and the Vice President of the Supreme Council become vacant at the same time, the Council is immediately called into session by any one of its members or by the Prime Minister of the UAE to elect a new President and Vice President to fill the two vacant offices.
Article (54)
The President of the UAE has the following powers:
    1. Preside over the Supreme Council and direct its discussions.
    2. Convene and dismiss the Supreme Council as may be provided in the rules of procedure specified by the Council in its by-law. The Council must be convened if a member of the Council so requests.
    3. Call, if necessary, on the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers to hold a joint session.
    4. Sign and promulgate the federal laws, decrees and decisions sanctioned by the Supreme Council.
    5. Subject to the approval of the Supreme Council, appoint the Prime Minister, accept his resignation, and relieve him from office; and, upon the proposal of the Prime Minister of the UAE, appoint the Deputy Prime Ministers and the ministers, accept their resignation, and relieve them from office.
    6. Subject to the approval of the Federal Council of Ministers, appoint the UAE’s diplomatic representatives to foreign states and other civil and military senior federal officials except for the President and the judges of the Federal Supreme Court, accept their resignation, and dismiss them. Such appointment, acceptance of resignation, or dismissal must be done by decree in accordance with the federal laws.
    7. Sign the letters of credence of the UAE’s diplomatic representatives to foreign states and organizations, accept the credentials of diplomatic and consular representatives ​of foreign states to the UAE, and receive their letters of credence; and sign the instruments appointing and accepting the credence of the representatives.
    8. Supervise, through the Federal Council of Ministers and the competent ministers, the implementation of federal laws, decrees and decisions.
    9. Represent the UAE internally, before the other states, and in all international relations.
    10. Grant pardon, commutate punishment, and approve capital sentences in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and federal laws.
    11. Confer civil and military decorations and Medals of Honor in accordance with the relevant laws.
    12. Exercise such powers as may be vested in him by the Supreme Council or provided in the Constitution or federal laws.