The UAE ranks 147 in democracy index

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index 2017, there has been a very weak response in the Middle East to pressures for democratization.

From the analysed 167 countries, no GCC country is in the top 100 most democratic states.

The Democracy index rates the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as number 147.

Earlier last year, Freedom House report of political and economic freedom rated the UAE as ‘‘not free.’’

Such reports strongly deny the liberal image that the UAE wants to promote in international forums.

While the UAE constitution provides for freedom of speech, the government uses its judicial, legislative, and executive powers to limit this right in practice.