Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has officially postponed legislative elections, setting a new date of September 11, 2027. According to a statement from his office reported by the official WAFA news agency, a presidential decree was issued on Saturday calling for both presidential and legislative polls to be held simultaneously on that date.
The announcement impacts the legislative elections that were previously scheduled for November 28 of this year, as well as the expected presidential vote slated for early 2027. The decree directs Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza to participate in the vote for the president of the State of Palestine and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
This decision follows consultations with Palestinian factions and political forces, alongside a formal decision by the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The official report noted that there is a national consensus regarding obstacles posed by Israeli measures, which have hindered the ability to hold elections on the previously scheduled dates. The leadership emphasized the necessity of establishing suitable political, security, and field conditions to ensure the elections are free, fair, and inclusive.
Should these elections proceed, they would mark the first Palestinian parliamentary vote since 2006 and only the third in the history of the region, following previous polls in 1996 and 2006. The Palestinian Legislative Council has remained inactive since 2007 due to an internal rift, and it was formally dissolved by the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2018.
Previous attempts to hold elections have also faced setbacks. Plans for a 2021 vote were shelved by President Abbas, who cited Israel's refusal to permit voting to take place in occupied East Jerusalem as the primary reason for the cancellation.
