France Criticizes Palestinian Election Postponement
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
France has sharply criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to postpone legislative and presidential elections until September 11, 2027. Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot stated this decision deprives Palestinians of their right to choose representatives and is a disservice to them. France, which recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025, urged the Palestinian Authority to hold elections quickly and offered European support for the process. Paris views democratic renewal as vital for Palestinian leadership and the two-state solution.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the Palestinian election postponement.
- Palestinian elections are now scheduled for September 11, 2027.
- Legislative elections were originally planned for November 28, 2026.
- Presidential elections were initially due in early 2025.
- France urged Palestinian authorities to hold elections "as soon as possible."
- Paris offered European support for the Palestinian electoral process.
France has strongly condemned the postponement of Palestinian legislative elections, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot calling the decision "the worst possible service" to the Palestinian people. The decree by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas now schedules both legislative and presidential elections for September 11, 2027. The legislative elections had been set for November 28, 2026, with the presidential vote originally slated for early 2025. Barrot emphasized that Palestinians have a right to self-determination through free and democratic elections. This postponement marks 20 years since the last legislative elections and follows a previous delay in 2021. France's Foreign Ministry stated that Palestinians are once again being denied the chance to elect their representatives. The French Foreign Ministry recalled Abbas's commitment to holding free and transparent elections and urged Palestinian authorities to reverse their decision and hold the polls "as soon as possible." Paris, along with European partners, has offered to support the electoral process, potentially through an EU observation mission. This situation arises amidst discussions between Abbas and French President Emmanuel Macron in 2025 regarding the recognition of a Palestinian state and reforms to Palestinian institutions. France officially recognized the State of Palestine on September 22, 2025, with Macron advocating for this as a means to preserve the two-state solution and calling for Palestinian democratic renewal. Paris believes that elections are crucial for Palestinian leadership to gain renewed legitimacy and that this democratic renewal is linked to maintaining the viability of the two-state solution.
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