New Path Movement Urges Palestinian Authority to Hold Elections on Schedule

The New Path movement has called on Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to proceed with parliamentary elections on the scheduled date of November 28. Presidential elections were also slated for the same day. The movement acknowledged the significant responsibility on Abbas and internal pressure to postpone the vote, but urged him to heed the voices of the people who have long awaited their chance to be heard. They argued that the dire situation in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem is unlikely to improve in the near future, citing the 2021 postponement of elections which led to five years of worsening conditions. The movement stated that linking the elections to an improved situation effectively disenfranchises voters.

On October 9, Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh announced that the November 28 parliamentary elections would be postponed for several months due to the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories. According to Reuters, al-Sheikh conveyed this in a letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The assessment indicated that the expected political, economic, and security conditions for the November 28, 2026 elections had not materialized. The letter also highlighted fundamental obstacles to holding elections under current circumstances, impacting their comprehensiveness, freedom of participation, and fairness. The last Palestinian Legislative Council elections were held in 2006.