Abbas Sets Nov. 1, 2026 Vote for First Direct Election to PLO’s Palestinian National Council

Overview

• Abbas’s decree assigns oversight to the Central Elections Commission and invites participation inside the territories and across the diaspora wherever possible.
• The new council is set at 350 seats, with two-thirds for residents in Palestinian territories and one-third for Palestinians abroad.
• Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are not in the PLO, so they would have no representation in the planned council.
• Holding balloting in the West Bank, Gaza and overseas communities would require coordination with Israel and host countries, creating doubts about execution.
• The PNC’s key function is electing the PLO Executive Committee chaired by Abbas, and a Fatah party conference in May could influence future leadership alignments.