Abbas postpones Palestinian elections to September 2027

Overview

Updated Oct 12

Palestinians have not elected a parliament since 2006. Now they won't elect one in 2026 either — President Mahmoud Abbas has pushed the November 28 vote back to September 11, 2027, and set the long-delayed presidential election for the same day.

The leadership blames the occupation for the delay: Israeli forces block Gaza voting, settler attacks disrupt the West Bank, and Israel withholds clearance revenues. France, whose September 2025 recognition of a Palestinian state came with a written Abbas commitment to hold elections, voiced regret at the postponement. Opposition figures, including Mustafa Barghouti, called the delay an erosion of democratic rights and demanded the new date be honored.

Why it matters

If the September 2027 vote also slips, Western donors funding the Palestinian Authority may cut aid, collapsing its finances.

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Key Indicators

287 days

Delay to next election

From November 28, 2026 to September 11, 2027.

Ongoing

Israeli withholding of clearance revenues

Israel withholds clearance revenues the Palestinian Authority collects for it; the decree cites this as an election obstacle.

Years without a parliament vote

Since the January 2006 legislative election, the last one held.

Postponements under Abbas

Indefinite delay in 2021 and now the 2026 delay; both cite Israeli obstacles.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Hussein Al Sheikh

Deputy to President Abbas; PLO Executive Committee secretary-general

Informed France of the postponement via October 8 letter

Mahmoud Abbas

President of the Palestinian Authority; Chairman of the PLO

Issued October 10 decree setting September 11, 2027 for elections

Marwan Barghouti

Senior Fatah leader, imprisoned in Israel

Launched initiative to unite Fatah; possible separate electoral list

Mohammed Dahlan

Exiled former Fatah security chief; leader of reformist faction

Agreed with Hamas to run a joint electoral list

Mustafa Barghouti

Head of the Palestinian National Initiative; former information minister

Opposed the October 2026 postponement

Organizations Involved

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee

Governing body

Approved the October 10 postponement

The Palestine Liberation Organization's top decision-making body, which approved the October 10 postponement.

Palestinian Authority

Governing body of the West Bank

Scheduled then postponed the November 2026 elections

The Palestinian self-governing body that scheduled the November 28, 2026 elections and now administers the delay.

Central Election Commission

Government body

Blocked from Gaza; would administer a September 2027 vote

The body that would administer the vote; the postponement cites restrictions keeping it and observers out of Gaza.

Timeline

January 2006 October 2026

10 events Latest: October 10th, 2026 · 1 month ago

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October 2026
Abbas decree sets September 2027 vote
Latest Decree

Abbas sets September 11, 2027 for simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections.
October 10th, 2026
PLO executive committee backs delay
Decision

Committee approves postponement over Gaza insecurity, Israeli measures, and withheld revenues.
October 10th, 2026
France voices regret over the election delay
Diplomatic

A French foreign ministry spokesperson voiced regret at the decision to move the vote to September 2027, per Israeli broadcaster N12. France's recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025 came with a written Abbas commitment to hold elections.
October 10th, 2026
Palestinian opposition figures condemn the delay
Political

Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, opposed the postponement and demanded the Palestinian Authority guarantee the election will not slip again. New Path leader Samer Sinijlawi said the delay was engineered by Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh and PFLP official Jamil Mezher.
October 10th, 2026
Postponement made public
News

Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh informs France the November 28 vote will be postponed to September 2027.
October 9th, 2026
Al Sheikh letter sent to France
Diplomatic

Letter to French Foreign Minister Barrot concludes conditions for the November vote have not materialized.
October 8th, 2026
Fatah and Hamas agree in Cairo to postpone the vote
Political

Two Palestinian officials told Reuters that leaders of Abbas's Fatah movement and Hamas agreed at a meeting in Cairo to postpone the elections.
October 7th, 2026
2026
Abbas sets November legislative election
Political

Schedules legislative elections for November 28, 2026, the first in 20 years.
2026
2021
Abbas postpones 2021 elections
Political

Abbas announces indefinite postponement of planned 2021 elections, citing Israeli restrictions.
2021
January 2006
Hamas wins last Palestinian legislative election
Election

Hamas takes a majority in the last Palestinian Legislative Council vote.
January 25th, 2006

Scenarios

Palestinians go to the polls as scheduled on September 11, 2027

Uncertain Resolves by Sep 12, 2027

Discussed by: WAFA and Palestinian Authority officials backing the decree

The October 10 decree holds. That requires enough stability for the Central Elections Commission to open polling in Gaza and the West Bank, with a ceasefire in Gaza and some international observer access. Even a partial vote counts as proceeding.

Abbas postpones elections a third time

Possible Resolves by Aug 15, 2027

Discussed by: The National's analysis; Al-Monitor reporting

A repeat of the 2021 playbook: citing continued Israeli obstacles or internal faction disputes, Abbas issues another decree or the PLO committee votes to delay again, possibly indefinitely. This would strain relations further with France and other European donors who tied election reform to aid.

Hamas-Dahlan bloc wins the September 2027 election

Possible Resolves by Oct 31, 2027

Discussed by: The National (quoting an Islamic Jihad official); Asharq Al-Awsat

If voting proceeds and the Hamas-Dahlan joint list is allowed to compete, the alliance could break Fatah's long dominance, echoing Hamas's 2006 upset. The Islamic Jihad official told The National the new alignments make it hard for the current leadership to control the outcome.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2021

2021 Palestinian election postponement

Abbas set legislative elections for May 2021 and presidential for July, the first in 15 years. Weeks before the vote, he announced an indefinite postponement, arguing Israel refused to guarantee voting in East Jerusalem.

Then

The cancellation drew international criticism and accelerated the Palestinian Authority's legitimacy crisis. No vote was held.

Now

It became the baseline for repeated delays: any future election could be cancelled by citing Israeli conditions, with factions unable to change the outcome.

Why this matters now

The October 2026 decision repeats nearly this exact pattern, though this time a decree sets a specific new date rather than leaving the calendar open.

January 2006

2006 Palestinian legislative elections

Palestinians elected a parliament for the first time since 1996. Hamas won a surprise majority, ending Fatah's dominance and setting off a crisis over power and recognition.

Then

Hamas formed a government, but international sanctions and a year of internal fighting produced a split: Hamas held Gaza, Fatah held the West Bank.

Now

The split cemented a no-elections habit. Fatah has avoided votes it might lose, and the international community remains wary of a Hamas win.

Why this matters now

A Hamas-Dahlan joint list in a September 2027 election could produce a similar upset, and the risk is one reason the vote keeps slipping.