Overview
- President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree on Thursday that sets legislative elections for November 28 and calls Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem to vote.
- The decree changes electoral rules by expanding the Palestinian Legislative Council from 132 to 200 seats, lowering the minimum candidacy age from 28 to 23, and requiring at least one in three list candidates to be women.
- A key legal obstacle is that Israel has not agreed to allow voting in occupied East Jerusalem, a demand that previously led Palestinian leaders to cancel elections in 2021 and could again prevent voting there.
- Huge practical barriers remain in Gaza, where widespread destruction, mass displacement and an outdated population registry mean major logistical, security and infrastructure work would be needed to hold ballots.
- The move is aimed at restoring a frozen parliament and shoring up PA legitimacy for donor countries that have tied aid to reforms, with possible effects on funding, internal politics and Palestinians’ ability to choose leaders ahead of a planned 2027 presidential vote.