The Palestinian presidency has announced a new date for presidential and legislative elections, citing Israeli obstacles affecting the electoral process.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a new presidential decree on Saturday setting September 11, 2027 as the date for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections.
The decree also cancels an earlier decision that had scheduled legislative elections for November 28, 2026.
Elections to Be Held Simultaneously
Under the new decree, Palestinians will vote for both the president and the legislative body on the same day.
The Palestinian Central Elections Commission will be responsible for taking the necessary measures to prepare for and organize the elections and supervise the voting process in accordance with the applicable general elections law.
The decree calls for the elections to be conducted in a free, fair, transparent and inclusive manner across the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
Palestinian Presidency Cites Israeli Obstacles
The Palestinian presidency attributed the postponement to what it described as Israeli obstacles to the electoral process.
The decision followed discussions among Palestinian factions over whether the legislative vote scheduled for November should be delayed.
Earlier reports indicated that organizing elections in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem posed significant logistical and political challenges.
The postponement also comes amid continuing political divisions among Palestinian factions and uncertainty over how elections could be organized across all Palestinian territories.
New Election Date Follows Political Discussions
The Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee approved the revised timetable on Saturday, paving the way for presidential and legislative elections to take place together in September 2027.
The issue had been the subject of discussions among Palestinian political factions. Reports had suggested that several groups were considering postponing the legislative vote because of difficulties surrounding the electoral process.
The latest decision effectively moves the legislative election from November 2026 to September 2027 while adding the presidential election to the same date.
Palestinian Elections Have Been Delayed for Years
The new timetable brings the issue of Palestinian elections back into focus nearly two decades after the last legislative elections were held in 2006.
Those elections were won by Hamas and were followed by deep political divisions between Palestinian factions.
A planned election process in 2021 was later canceled, leaving Palestinians without a new legislative election for many years.
The announcement of a new date represents a significant development, although the practical implementation of the elections will depend on political, security and logistical conditions in the Palestinian territories.
For now, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission is expected to begin preparations for the 2027 vote under the framework established by the new presidential decree.