Palestinian elections set for November after Abbas restores parliament to 132 seats

Aug 11, 2026

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on August 11, 2026, restoring the Palestinian Legislative Council to 132 seats and setting parliamentary elections for November 28, 2026. This marks the first legislative election in 20 years, following a long-standing political split between Fatah and Hamas since 2007. Hamas announced plans to participate in the elections as part of a broad national coalition, despite opposing requirements to formally recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Palestinian Legislative Council elections

▪The Palestinian Central Elections Commission announced that in-person voter registration for the November 2026 elections will begin on August 15, 2026, and continue for five days alongside online registration.
▪Palestinian Legislative Council elections are scheduled to take place on November 28, 2026, marking the first such elections in 20 years.

Hamas electoral participation strategy

▪Hamas plans to participate in the November 2026 Palestinian Legislative Council elections as part of a broad national coalition, according to Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran on August 12, 2026.
▪Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran stated on August 12, 2026, that the majority of Palestinian factions, including Hamas, oppose requiring electoral lists to meet conditions based on political positions to run.
▪Harel Chorev of the Moshe Dayan Center stated that a pragmatic faction of Hamas advocates merging the group into the Palestine Liberation Organization to establish common ground.

PLC seat count reversal

▪The Palestinian Central Elections Commission received the August 11, 2026 decree, which repeals the June 2026 amendment while reinstating parts of the original election law.
▪Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on August 11, 2026, restoring the number of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council to 132, reversing a June 2026 law that expanded it to 200.

Electoral law candidate requirements

▪The August 11, 2026 decree by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas maintains a 1% electoral threshold and bars candidates from simultaneously running for president and parliament.
▪The August 11, 2026 decree by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas retains provisions lowering the minimum age for parliamentary candidates from 28 to 23 and requiring women to comprise at least 33% of candidates on electoral lists.
▪The August 11, 2026 decree by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas requires electoral lists to formally recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Hamas focus on al-Aqsa Mosque

▪Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran stated on August 12, 2026, that the group remains focused on the status of Jerusalem and the al-Aqsa Mosque, which he described as the core of the conflict with Israel.
▪Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran accused Israel of exploiting the war in Gaza as an excuse to alter the status quo at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Fatah-Hamas political division

▪Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas dissolved the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2018, with the last parliamentary elections having been held in January 2006.
▪The Palestinian Legislative Council has been inactive since 2007 following a political split between Fatah and Hamas after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.