Anadolu - Ramallah: Qais Abu Samra

This announcement comes amid the paralysis of the Palestinian Legislative Council since 2007 and the ongoing Palestinian division.

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission announced on Thursday the timeline for the legal dates for the legislative elections scheduled for November 28, according to the presidential decree issued on the matter and the provisions of the General Election Law.

The commission announced that voter registration centers in the West Bank will open from August 15 to 19.

It added that the candidacy window will open on the morning of Saturday, September 26, and continue for 12 days until the evening of Wednesday, October 7.

Election campaigning will begin on November 6 for 21 days, ending before the election silence on November 27.

According to the commission, advance voting for security forces will take place on Thursday, November 26, while general voting will take place on Saturday, November 28.

The commission clarified that preliminary results will be released within 24 hours, and final results two weeks after voting, after adjudicating appeals.

On July 9, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree setting Saturday, November 28, 2026 as the date for holding legislative elections in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

In June, Abbas issued a decree-law amending the General Election Law, which included raising the number of members of the Legislative Council from 132 to 200, lowering the candidacy age from 28 to 23 years, reducing the electoral threshold from 2% to 1%, and requiring at least one woman among every three candidates in electoral lists.

The Palestinian Legislative Council has been inactive since 2007, following the Palestinian division, and Abbas issued a decision to dissolve it in 2018, while the last legislative elections were held in 2006.

The Palestinian arena has witnessed political and geographical division since 2007, with the Hamas movement managing the Gaza Strip since then, while a government formed by the Fatah movement handles the affairs of the West Bank.

According to the presidential decree, presidential elections are scheduled to be held during the first quarter of 2027.

The elections are taking place after amending the election law, which raised the number of council members from 132 to 200, lowered the candidacy age from 28 to 23, reduced the electoral threshold from 2% to 1%, and required at least one woman among every three candidates. The elections also include East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, despite political challenges. This step comes within the framework of efforts to end the division and achieve national unity, amid anticipation of its success in holding comprehensive and fair elections.