Palestinian president Abbas postpones legislative elections, sets presidential poll for September 2027

Israeli military attacks, settlement expansion, settler violence, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the withholding of Palestinian revenues were cited as reasons for the election postponement. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed legislative elections to September 2027. ⁠⁠Palestinian president ​Mahmoud ​Abbas announced on Saturday that legislative ⁠elections would be postponed from November ​28 to September ​11, 2027, the ​official Palestinian news agency ⁠WAFA reported.

In his presidential decree, Abbas set the next presidential elections for that day as well. Palestinian president postpones legislative elections until 2027 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on Saturday cancalling legislative elections due to take place on 28 November 2026 and calling for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections to be held on 11 September 2027, according to Wafa news. "The decree follows a decision by the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and consultations with Palestinian factions and political forces, which resulted in a national consensus on obstacles posed by Israeli measures to holding elections on the previously scheduled date and the need to establish suitable political, security and field conditions for free, fair and inclusive elections," Wafa reported.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks in a pre-recorded video message to the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on 24 September 2026 (Angela Weiss/AFP)