Palestinians set to delay November’s legislative elections, citing worsening conditions

PARIS (Reuters) — Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh has informed France that a Palestinian legislative election planned for November 28 will be postponed, possibly until September 2027, because of worsening conditions throughout the Palestinian territories, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

“The assessment concluded that the anticipated political, security and economic conditions, on which the scheduling of the legislative elections for 28 November 2026 was based, have not materialized,” said the letter, which was addressed to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and dated October 8.

It added that “holding them under the current circumstances faces fundamental obstacles affecting their inclusiveness, freedom of participation and the integrity of the electoral process.”

There had been serious doubts that the Palestinian Authority vote would go ahead in late November. The Palestinians have not held legislative or presidential elections since 2005-2006, after which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s rival, the terror group ​Hamas, seized control of Gaza, ousting his loyalists.

Abbas has on numerous occasions over the years announced plans to hold elections, only to later delay or cancel them, citing various problems and often blaming Israeli restrictions.

His ruling Fatah party, seen as corrupt and ineffective on the Palestinian street, is widely expected to take a beating in any democratic voting process.

Some officials within Abbas’s Fatah party have demanded dialogue with Hamas and other factions to agree on a common national vision before proceeding with a vote. Others have cited obstructions to ballot boxes, election papers and ink entering Gaza, which they say would make voting impossible.

A top official with the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad terror group said Thursday that the factions had reached an agreement to delay the vote.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said the scheduled elections had been premature.

“Election is part of a democratic process, and it has to be built on a solid Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue to see how we can proceed forward in this conflict, and how to manage our internal disputes, and to offer, or how to present the Palestinians to the world with a united leadership, with a united vision,” he said.

Palestinian officials say they expected US action

The letter said Palestinian officials had expected conditions to improve through the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative and a UN Security Council resolution, including the deployment of international forces and Palestinian police in Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

It said the Palestinians had also anticipated US efforts to prevent further annexation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, curb settler violence and secure the release of nearly $7 billion in Palestinian funds withheld by Israel.

“However, these steps, understandings and promises have not materialized. Rather, conditions have worsened throughout the Palestinian territory,” the letter said, outlining in detail security issues in Gaza and the West Bank.

Based on their assessment, Palestinian officials recommended to Abbas “that the date of the legislative elections be adjusted by several months, and that dialogue continue to prepare the internal conditions,” the letter said.

It added that Abbas had been advised to issue a decree adjusting the date for holding elections to the first half of September 2027.

Abbas, elected president of the PA in 2005, had reaffirmed plans to hold the elections during a speech to the United Nations on September 24.

France said elections were essential

The letter was addressed to France after it recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025. As part of that decision, France had urged that the planned legislative and presidential elections proceed, a written commitment that Abbas had made to President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, France’s foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said it was essential for the elections to take place and hailed the launch of an EU mission to observe the elections.

“These elections will enable the Palestinian leadership to champion its people’s legitimate aspirations with renewed legitimacy, while preserving the two-state solution,” he said.

In the more than two decades since Abbas was elected as the successor to Fatah founder Yasser Arafat, the PA’s public standing has ‌sunk among Palestinians.

In 2007, the PA was driven out of the Gaza Strip by Hamas, who had won an election there on an anti-corruption platform. Abbas has ruled by decree since his mandate expired in 2009.

A peace process meant to lead to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem collapsed in 2014, and expanding Israeli settlements have since carved up areas once slated for eventual Palestinian control.