Palestinian Central Elections Committee opens candidacy for legislative elections

The Palestinian Central Elections Committee has announced the commencement of the candidacy and list registration phase for the upcoming legislative elections. The registration period begins on September 26 and will run until October 7, 2026. Applications can be submitted at the committee's headquarters in Al-Bireh in the West Bank and the regional office in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip.

The elections, scheduled for November 28, 2026, follow a presidential decree issued by Mahmoud Abbas. The electoral system will utilize a closed list (full proportional) model, requiring lists to contain between 16 and 132 candidates. New regulations include a mandate for women's representation, requiring at least one woman to be among the first three names on a list, and a reduction of the electoral threshold to 1% to encourage broader political participation.

These elections aim to foster national unity and political participation across the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem. This process follows a long period of legislative inactivity since the last general elections in 2006. Following the legislative vote, presidential elections are expected to take place during the first quarter of 2027.