Palestinian leader Abbas announces presidential election in early 2027

TDT | Ramallah

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Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has issued a decree calling for presidential elections in early 2027 and for legislative elections to be held in November of this year, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, without saying if he would run.

Abbas, 90, won the last Palestinian presidential election in 2005 with a mandate of four years, meaning his term should have expired in 2009.

However his term was extended and no presidential election has been held since, with Abbas ruling by presidential decrees, courting criticism at home and abroad.

“President Mahmoud Abbas announced that presidential elections will be held in early 2027,” Wafa said, citing a statement from the presidency.

The nonagenarian leader’s decree also calls for legislative elections to take place in November of this year, it added.

In his decree, Abbas emphasised he was “fully prepared to organise the Palestinian National Council elections scheduled for November, which include the general legislative elections in the homeland and elections abroad”.

The Palestinian National Council (PNC) is the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which has over 700 members from the Palestinian territories and abroad.