New Social Law in the Emirates.

The latest Emirati social law reforms have been widely regarded as a significant move in granting greater personal freedoms to citizens of a country where expats make up more than 88 percent of the population, but how will these new changes impact the economy of the UAE? On November 7, in addition to inheritance laws, the Emirati Government introduced a number of new regulations amending the country’s civil and criminal codes.

Consensual relationships between adults will no longer be punishable, according to the new laws, just like cohabitation between unmarried couples. Sex with minors will, however, be punished by the death penalty. In addition, the new laws abolish the license required in the past for individuals to purchase alcohol that has been available for several years now in stores and restaurants. In addition, the new laws will give UAE residents the opportunity to choose between having the divorce and inheritance laws of the country, all based on Islamic laws, or between those applied in their countries of origin, allowing different groups living in the country to live according to their own rules.

Moreover, the new laws will give UAE residents the opportunity to choose between having the country’s divorce and inheritance laws, all based on Islamic laws, or between those applied in their countries of origin, allowing different groups living in the country to live according to their own rules.

These legal changes were linked to the country ‘s attempts to be more “expat-friendly,” particularly as the Emirati economy is set to recover after rough months following the outbreak of coronavirus, which caused oil prices to drop sharply since last March and paralyzed the tourism industry.

As a result, social reforms in the UAE were designed to attract foreign expertise and investment, as the country is planning to focus on diversifying its previously oil-dependent economy.