Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree-law containing fundamental and extensive amendments to the General Election Law, in a step aimed at reshaping the Palestinian political landscape. These amendments come as part of the ongoing preparations for the upcoming legislative and national elections, through which the Palestinian leadership seeks to enhance popular participation and expand the base of democratic representation in official institutions.
The new decisions included raising the number of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from 132 to 200 members, which grants broader representation to various political and regional factions. The President also decided to lower the electoral threshold from 2% to only 1%, a strategic step aimed at enabling small and independent lists to reach parliament and participate in the decision-making process.
In the context of enhancing the role of women in political life, the amendments imposed new requirements on electoral lists to ensure more effective female representation. The amended law stipulated the necessity of having at least one woman among every three candidates on the list, in addition to raising the minimum number of candidates on each list from 16 to 20 to ensure the seriousness of competing blocs.
The amendments responded to the demands of the youth by lowering the age of candidacy for membership in the Legislative Council from 28 to 23 years, which opens the door for younger generations to enter the political arena. This step aims to inject new blood into Palestinian institutions, especially since the Legislative Council had been stalled for many years since its dissolution by presidential decree in late 2018.
A formal presidential decree is expected to be issued later to call for Legislative Council elections concurrently with the Palestinian National Council elections on November 1, 2026. According to the new system, those who win membership in the Legislative Council will be considered ex-officio members of the National Council, to represent Palestinians inside the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Regarding the presidential elections, President Abbas announced that the ballot to elect a new president for the Palestinian Authority will be held during 2027, to complete the path of democratic building. These steps come after the presidency approved the electoral system for the National Council earlier this month, based on the recommendations of the PLO Executive Committee to arrange internal affairs.
These amendments seek to overcome the state of political stagnation that the Palestinian territories have witnessed since the last legislative elections held in 2006. Official sources confirm that the ultimate goal is to end the division and achieve national unity through the ballot boxes, and to ensure the representation of all Palestinian forces inside and outside within a unified and strong institutional framework.
The new amendments aim to enhance political participation and expand the base of democratic representation in national institutions.
شارك برأيك
Abbas issues extensive amendments to Palestinian election law, including raising legislative seats and lowering the age of candidacy