Abbas: Elections in the fall for the PLO's governing council

TT

Published 2026-02-02 22.09

 

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, here in Moscow in January this year. Photo: Ramil Sitdikov/AP/TT

Palestinians will be able to vote in direct elections this fall for the first time on who will be part of the PLO's highest decision-making body, the PNC.

This was announced by Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

The elections for the National Council, PNC, will be held on November 1, reports the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The PNC is the Palestinian umbrella organization, the PLO's parliament, whose more than 700 members have so far been appointed instead of elected by the people.

“Elections should be held wherever possible, both inside and outside Palestine, to ensure the widest possible participation of the Palestinian people wherever they live,” Abbas said in a statement.

Hamas is not represented in the PNC, which is dominated by the terrorist group’s political rival Fatah.

Representatives of the Palestinian diaspora are also represented in the PNC.