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Abu Dhabi: Scores of the 341 candidates running in the Federal National Council (FNC) elections started their campaigns across the UAE yesterday (Tuesday), bidding to win one of the 20 seats available.

The other 20 seats of the UAE’s unicameral house will be filled by Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates.

The hopefuls were promoting their credentials through billboard and newspaper advertising and press conferences, with many of them embracing the trend by using social media networks including Facebook and Twitter.

Each and every Federal National Council (FNC) candidate shall be bound to explain their programmes to the local National Election Committee (NEC) concerned before starting any electoral campaign.

The committee has instructed all FNC candidates to argue about, defend their political stances, and elaborate all components of their electoral programmes in writing in the all-new election form.

Abu Dhabi: Slandering other nominees and ‘buying votes’ can lead to individuals’ dismissal from the list of candidates ahead of the upcoming Federal National Council (FNC) elections, officials in the capital said on Wednesday.

Speaking to an audience of candidates for the FNC elections at a workshop on how to launch a political campaign, Dr Mohammad Salim Al Mazrooi, General Secretary of the council, said the voting process does not happen at random but is instead based on scientific methodologies.

Women constitute 22 per cent of the total number of candidates for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections 2015, with 76 women contesting from across the country.

The final electoral list released by the National Election Committee on Monday has 341 nominees from an initial pool of 347.

The committee recorded appeal requests against three candidates - two from Sharjah and one from Abu Dhabi. After a review process, the two appeals in Sharjah were accepted, while the third was rejected.

ABU DHABI // The call for more women to take part in the Federal National Council elections has been met with great response – they make up almost a quarter of the final list.

The National Election Commission announced 341 candidates, including five past members, are eligible to run for the council. Of these, 78 are women.

Three appeals against those standing were lodged with the NEC and two were upheld, removing an Abu Dhabi candidate and one from Ras Al Khaimah from the race.

ABU DHABI // Candidates for the Federal National Council will undergo a three-day workshop to prepare them for their upcoming election campaigns.

The workshops, run by the General Secretariat of the FNC, will include sessions on parliamentary knowledge and advice on how to organise their campaigns.

This includes: how to create a campaign team, how to communicate with the voters, how to set up the campaign budget and how to use social media, said Dr Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the secretary general of the council.

ABU DHABI // Candidates for the Federal National Council have told of their reasons for stepping forward, as the objection process for the elections began on Monday.

Sheikh Musallam Salem bin Ham Al Ameri said the people of his emirate had asked him to nominate himself. “The idea was crossing my mind, but when the people asked me to run I was happy to,” said Sheikh Al Ameri, 37, chief executive of Kolluna Al Emarat.

The society promotes Emirati identity and trains nationals to deal with emergencies.

Abu Dhabi: The electoral process for the Federal National Council elections 2015 has reached an important milestone with completion of the registration of candidates and the announcement of the preliminary list of candidates, said Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and Chairman of the National Election Committee.