Palestinians and the Upcoming Elections: When Economy Becomes the Gateway to Politics

In political science, elections are considered one of the most important tools for democratic expression, measuring public opinion trends, and determining the balance of power among various parties and movements. However, the results of this survey reveal that Palestinians today view elections from a much broader perspective than mere political competition or renewing constitutional mandates. For a significant sector of citizens, elections have become directly linked to hopes for improving economic and living conditions, enhancing stability, and breaking free from the political stalemate that has accompanied Palestinian life in recent years.

This perspective comes in the wake of the decisions issued by President Mahmoud Abbas in June 2026, which included amending the general elections law, increasing the number of members of the Legislative Council to 200 members, reducing the electoral threshold to 1%, enhancing the representation of women and youth, alongside calling for Palestinian National Council elections on November 1, 2026, and announcing presidential elections in 2027.

In this context, the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) conducted a public opinion poll from June 15-20, 2026, to explore Palestinians' attitudes towards the upcoming legislative and presidential elections and their relation to economic and social conditions. The study relied on computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) and random digit dialing (RDD). The sample included 300 respondents from Palestinian adults (18 years and older) in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, with 57.0% from the West Bank and 43.0% from Gaza, and the male-to-female ratio was 52.3% to 47.7%. The response rate reached 73%, with a margin of error of ±5.6% at a 95% confidence level, providing an appropriate representation of various segments of Palestinian society.

Economy First... The Background That Explains Everything

Understanding Palestinian attitudes towards elections is difficult without grasping the economic environment in which these attitudes are formed. The results reveal that Palestinian society is experiencing one of its most challenging economic phases, making any discussion about politics or elections closely tied to citizens' living realities.

The results showed that 66.3% of Palestinians live on a monthly income of less than 2000 shekels, while about 31.4% fall into middle-income categories, whereas those with monthly incomes exceeding 6000 shekels account for only 2.3%. These figures reflect the extent of economic pressures facing the majority of Palestinian families.

The situation appears even harsher in the Gaza Strip, where 93.8% of the population lives on a monthly income of less than 2000 shekels, compared to 45.6% in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The results also indicate rising unemployment rates, especially in Gaza, which is facing extremely difficult economic and humanitarian conditions due to the war and its ongoing repercussions, directly affecting income levels, job opportunities, and living stability.

The issue extends beyond income levels to families' ability to meet their basic needs. The results showed that 54.0% of Palestinians reported that their family income does not adequately cover some basic needs or does not suffice at all, while 45.3% said their income is adequate for basic needs or most of them, or provides a surplus. The gap is more evident in Gaza, where 75.9% reported that their income does not cover some basic needs or is completely insufficient, compared to 37.4% in the West Bank. In contrast, 62.1% of West Bank residents said their income sufficiently meets their basic needs to varying degrees, compared to only 23.2% in Gaza.

The implications of the crisis do not stop at economic indicators; they extend to the level of overall life satisfaction. In the West Bank, 65.1% expressed high or moderate satisfaction with their lives, while this percentage dropped to just 27.2% in Gaza. Conversely, 55.8% of Gaza residents described their life satisfaction as very low, compared to only 18.7% in the West Bank.

These combined data suggest that the economy is no longer just a file among public life issues, but has become a key factor in shaping the Palestinian political mood. The greater the economic and living pressures, the stronger the desire to seek alternatives and opportunities for change. From this perspective, one can understand an important aspect of the high levels of support for elections that will appear in the following sections, where it seems that many Palestinians see elections not just as a political entitlement, but as an opportunity to contribute to improving their economic and living conditions and to regain some hope for the future.

Widespread Support for Elections and a Clear Desire to Renew Political Life

Under these difficult economic circumstances, the desire for political participation has not diminished, but seems more present than ever. Survey results revealed that 79.4% of Palestinians support conducting elections for the Legislative Council and the Palestinian National Council in 2026, of whom 53.7% strongly support it and 25.7% somewhat support it. Meanwhile, the percentage of opponents stands at 13.4%, with 7.7% somewhat opposed and 5.7% strongly opposed, while the percentage of undecided or non-committal individuals is 7.3%.

This support extends even more to presidential elections, with 83.6% of Palestinians supporting presidential elections in 2027, of whom 59.3% strongly support it and 24.3% somewhat support it. In contrast, the percentage of opponents stands at 14.0%, while the percentage of undecided individuals did not exceed 2.3%.

Notably, support levels were higher in the Gaza Strip compared to the West Bank. The percentage of strong support for the Legislative Council and National Council elections reached 57.4% in Gaza versus 50.9% in the West Bank, and the percentage of strong support for presidential elections was 65.1% in Gaza compared to 55.0% in the West Bank. This reflects a clear relationship between the level of economic and living pressures and the desire for political change.

Furthermore, the results show that 71.3% of Palestinians intend to participate in voting if elections are held, of whom 59.0% confirmed they will definitely participate and 12.3% are likely to participate. Meanwhile, 24.0% reported that they do not intend to participate, while 4.7% have not yet made up their minds. The percentage of those who confirmed their participation definitely is 65.9% in Gaza compared to 53.8% in the West Bank.

When citizens were asked about their views on the upcoming presidential elections, 46.7% considered them an opportunity to achieve political and economic reforms, the highest percentage among all proposed options. Additionally, 17.3% saw it as an important step towards enhancing democracy, and 8.7% considered it an opportunity to renew political legitimacy. Conversely, 18.3% believed it would not lead to significant changes in the current reality, while 5.7% thought it might increase political division, and 3.3% did not determine their stance.

These results bolster the Palestinians' readiness to adhere to the democratic process, as 75.4% expressed their willingness to accept the election results even if a party or list they do not support wins, with 46.7% definitely accepting that and 28.7% accepting it somewhat. On the other hand, 22.3% rejected the results to varying degrees, while undecided individuals accounted for 2.3%.

Collectively, these indicators suggest that Palestinians do not view elections as a mere procedural entitlement or a constitutional exercise; rather, they see them as a genuine tool for political change and revitalizing public life. However, the presence of a percentage of opposition, hesitation, and indecisiveness reflects ongoing reservations related to trust in the political process, the conditions under which it occurs, and the chances of its success.

What Do Palestinians Want from the Elections?

While the results of the previous section showed broad support for conducting elections, the most important question is to understand what Palestinians expect from this political entitlement.

The results reveal that citizens do not view elections as an end in themselves but as a means to achieve tangible outcomes in their daily lives. When participants were asked about the most important priority that the upcoming elections should achieve, improving economic and living conditions ranked first by a significant margin, chosen by 54.7% of respondents. Enhancing national unity came in second place at 22.0%, followed by combating corruption and improving institutional performance at 15.3%.

Conversely, traditional political issues received much lower percentages, with only 5.0% considering enhancing democratic participation the top priority, while just 1.3% viewed renewing political legitimacy as the primary goal of the elections, and 1.7% did not define their position.

The results also showed a convergence between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, although the economic priority was more pronounced in Gaza at 57.4% compared to 52.6% in the West Bank, reflecting the extent of economic and living pressures faced by citizens there.

These results indicate that Palestinians approach elections from a practical perspective rather than just a constitutional or partisan one. For the majority of citizens, the importance of elections lies in their potential to enhance the economic reality, foster national unity, and improve the performance of public institutions, more than their connection to political legitimacy issues or mere political system reshaping.

Reforming the Political System and Renewing the Elites

Support for conducting the elections did not stop at merely holding the elections, but also extended to the reforms that accompanied their announcement.

The survey results showed that 78.7% of Palestinians support the recent amendments to the electoral law, with 47.0% strongly supporting them and 31.7% somewhat supporting them. In contrast, the percentage of opponents stands at 18.7%, with 10.0% somewhat opposed and 8.7% strongly opposed, while the percentage of undecided individuals is 2.7%.

These amendments include lowering the candidacy age to 23 years, increasing women's representation on electoral lists, and reducing the electoral threshold to 1%, measures aimed at expanding the political participation base and providing greater opportunities for youth, women, and smaller political forces.

The results further reinforce this trend when asking citizens about the impact of increasing the representation of youth and women in elected bodies. Some 82.4% of Palestinians believed that this would contribute significantly or moderately to improving Palestinian political performance, of whom 48.7% believe it would contribute significantly and 33.7% moderately. In contrast, only 16.7% believed its impact would be limited or nonexistent, while 1.0% did not define their position.

These results reflect a clear community desire to renew the political elite and engage broader segments of society in decision-making, in line with the social and demographic transformations occurring in Palestinian society.

Between Hope and Realism... What Could Hinder the Elections?

Despite high levels of support for holding elections, Palestinians do not view them with unconditional optimism; rather, they recognize the existence of real challenges that may hinder their success or limit their ability to achieve the desired change.

The results showed that 36.0% of Palestinians consider the difficult economic conditions the biggest challenge to the success of the upcoming elections, while 21.7% see the persistence of political division as the main obstacle. Additionally, 19.3% pointed to security conditions, 8.7% to a lack of trust in institutions, and 8.3% to foreign interventions, while 4.7% believed there are no major challenges facing the elections, and 1.3% did not define their position.

These results reveal differences between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, economic conditions ranked first at 40.4%, while political division appeared more prominent in the Gaza Strip, where 26.4% referred to it compared to 18.1% in the West Bank.

At the same time, results show that Palestinians still link elections to the possibility of improving their economic conditions. Some 76.7% believed that presidential and legislative elections could significantly or moderately contribute to improving economic and living conditions, of whom 34.0% see it will contribute significantly and 42.7% moderately. Conversely, 21.7% believed its impact would be limited or nonexistent, while 1.7% were undecided.

Furthermore, 89.4% of Palestinians agreed that holding free and fair elections could enhance international community trust in Palestine and increase opportunities for investment and economic support, with 56.7% strongly agreeing and 32.7% somewhat agreeing. In contrast, the percentage of those who disagreed was 9.3%, while 1.3% did not define their position.

These results reinforce the impression that Palestinians do not separate politics from economics, but view elections as part of a broader reform process that could be reflected in investment opportunities, economic growth, and improving public services.

Sixth: More Hope than Fear

When asked what feeling best expresses their stance towards the upcoming elections, hope and optimism ranked first at 49.3%, followed by caution and anticipation at 19.0%, then concern and fear of the outcomes at 15.7%, and indifference at 15.3%, while only 0.7% did not define their position.

These results indicate that the overall Palestinian mood, despite all economic, political, and security challenges, still leans more towards optimism than pessimism. They also reflect a genuine desire among large segments of citizens to give the democratic process a new chance, hoping that it will contribute to improving the current reality and open new horizons for the future.

Conclusion: When Economy Becomes the Gateway to Politics

The results of this survey reveal that Palestinians clearly support conducting legislative and presidential elections at this stage, and this support does not merely stem from a desire to renew political legitimacy but is closely tied to broader economic and social aspirations.

The majority supports conducting elections, the majority intends to participate in them, and most citizens are willing to accept their outcomes even if forces they do not support win. At the same time, Palestinians connect elections with improving economic and living conditions, enhancing national unity, combating corruption, and attracting investments and international support.

The results also indicate that communities most affected by economic crises, especially in the Gaza Strip, seem more committed to the electoral option and more convinced of its ability to bring about change. This means that elections are no longer viewed as a political entitlement separate from reality, but as a potential means to address accumulated crises and restore trust in public institutions.

In conclusion, it can be said that the most important message carried by these results is that Palestinians are not merely seeking ballot boxes but a new horizon. For them, elections are not an end in themselves but a means to achieve stability, reform, and improve the quality of life. Hence, it seems that the economy has indeed become the gateway to politics, and the popular bet on elections is primarily linked to hope for a better future.