Abbas receives draft interim constitution, declares 2026 year of democracy and elections

The President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday received the first copy of the draft interim constitution for the State of Palestine, during his reception of the Constitution Drafting Committee, headed by Counselor Mohammed Al-Haj Qassem and the committee members, at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.

The President praised the arduous efforts made by the committee, emphasizing that the issuance of this constitution represents a pivotal step paving the way for the actual transition from the "authority stage" to the "state stage," which has so far been recognized by more than 160 countries around the world.

In an important political context, Abbas announced that the current year is the "year of democracy," revealing a comprehensive electoral roadmap that includes setting a date for holding elections for the Palestinian National Council at home and abroad, setting a date for holding the eighth Fatah conference, in addition to holding local elections next April. Abbas stressed that the new constitutional texts focus on safeguarding rights and freedoms, and ensure effective empowerment of women and youth, reflecting their true status in Palestinian society.

For his part, the head of the committee, Counselor Mohammed Al-Haj Qassem, explained that the draft was the result of continuous work that lasted approximately 7 months, during which 70 meetings were held with various civil society institutions and relevant bodies. He affirmed that the interim constitution preserved the pillars of a modern state, most notably political pluralism, separation of powers, and empowering parliament to exercise its full oversight and legislative powers.

At the end of the meeting, the President issued instructions to refer a copy of the draft constitution to the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization for review, in preparation for its public release to receive comments and suggestions. A decision will be issued later to regulate the procedures, mechanisms, and timeframe for its publication.

The issuance of this constitution represents a pivotal step paving the way for the actual transition from the authority stage to the state stage.