The President Issues a Law Amending the General Elections Law

Sada News - President Mahmoud Abbas issued today, Sunday, a law amending Law No. (1) of 2007 concerning general elections and its amendments, as part of efforts to enhance political participation and expand the base of democratic representation. The law stipulates increasing the number of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council to 200 members, reducing the electoral threshold for winning seats to (1%), and raising the minimum number of candidates within each electoral list to 20 candidates instead of 16. The law also includes measures to enhance women's participation in electoral lists, by requiring at least one woman among every three candidates on the list, ensuring an expanded representation of women and their participation in political life and decision-making. Additionally, the law lowers the age for candidacy in legislative council elections to 23 years instead of 28, allowing broader youth participation in the democratic process and strengthening their role in elected institutions. The President is expected to issue a decree calling for legislative council elections concurrently with the national council elections. President Mahmoud Abbas had previously issued a presidential decree inviting the Palestinian people to participate in the elections of the Palestinian National Council both domestically and abroad, scheduled for November 1, 2026, where the members elected in the legislative council elections will be automatic members representing the homeland in the national council. He also announced the organization of presidential elections in 2027. Furthermore, the President had earlier approved the electoral system for the Palestinian National Council based on the approval of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in a step aimed at completing the democratic process and enhancing popular participation in the institutions of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people.