Palestinian Legislative Council elections may be postponed — The National
Palestine is discussing postponing the Legislative Council elections scheduled for November 28, 2026. A decision may be made in the coming days, The National reports, citing sources.
First elections in 20 years
The last elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council were held in 2006. Hamas won at the time, leading to a split between the group and the ruling Fatah movement. Palestinian Authority President and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas was elected in 2005 and now governs by decree.
Abbas publicly promised that 2026 would be the year of Palestinian democracy. This came after the European Union threatened to cut funding if reform requirements were not met.
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Preparations for the vote
Election Commission chair Jamil al-Khalidi told Palestinian media that preparations for voting in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are continuing despite security, logistical and technical obstacles. According to him, the commission is seeking alternatives to traditional ballot boxes and voting ink, whose import into Gaza Israel continues to block.
According to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, conducted in August among 1,270 respondents, 44% of participants did not believe the elections would take place as scheduled. In 2021, Abbas canceled an attempt to hold presidential elections, citing Israel's refusal to allow voters in occupied East Jerusalem to participate.
