Abbas Defers Palestinian Legislative Election, Announces Presidential Vote for September 2027

By Ali Sawafta, Nidal al‑Mughrabi and Eman Abouhassira

RAMALLAH, Oct 10 (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas postponed the scheduled legislative elections that were due next month, moving them to September 11, 2027, and simultaneously called for a presidential poll on the same date. In his announcement, Abbas cited obstacles posed by Israeli policies and the prevailing security conditions in the Palestinian territories as the reasons for the delay.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas’s decree highlighted the challenges created by Israeli military actions, settlement expansion, settler violence and movement restrictions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. The statement also pointed to “exceptional security and humanitarian conditions” in Gaza, the incomplete withdrawal of Israeli forces, lack of reconstruction progress and the failure to implement arrangements for deploying international stabilization forces and police.

The decree called on Palestinians living in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza to participate in the upcoming vote. It noted that Israeli restrictions on access for election‑commission staff and international observers to Gaza and East Jerusalem further complicated preparations. There was no immediate Israeli comment, with officials unavailable for comment on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.

The decision followed consultations with Palestinian factions and political forces and was intended to provide time for a comprehensive national dialogue aimed at strengthening unity and addressing challenges facing the electoral process. Abbas’s announcement fulfills a pledge to hold elections after two decades, as the Palestinian Authority has not conducted legislative or presidential polls since 2005‑06, after which Hamas seized control of Gaza.

Recent polling by the West Bank‑based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) indicated declining support for both Hamas and Fatah, reflecting widespread frustration over political divisions. The postponement follows Abbas’s reaffirmation of the November election timetable in a September 24 address to the United Nations General Assembly and his written commitments to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hold elections as part of France’s recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025.

France’s foreign ministry welcomed the launch of an EU election‑observation mission, emphasizing that holding the elections was essential. (Reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Nidal Al‑Mughrabi in Cairo and Eman Abouhassira in Dubai; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

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