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Abbas modifies Palestine elections’ law

January 13, 2021 at 10:54 am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas holds a press conference on Trump’s so called peace plan in Ramallah, West Bank on 28 January 2020 [Issam Rimawi / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian Authority (PA), PLO, and Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas has modified the election law, Palestinian Election Commission Executive Director Hisham Kahil revealed yesterday.

Speaking to the official Palestinian Radio, Kahil said Abbas dropped the condition for the candidates to be committed to the PLO’s political obligations and raised the quota for female representation from 20 per cent to 26 per cent.

Kahil said that Abbas is going to meet with the head of the Palestinian Election Commission on Friday in order to agree on the presidential decrees related to the elections, noting that all changes made to the law would be available to the public within 48 hours.

“These changes were made in order not to allow room for appeals against the electoral proceedings,” Kahil said.

Last year Hamas and Fatah agreed to hold the first elections in Palestine in nearly 15 years, with parliamentary and presidential polls set to be scheduled within six months under a deal agreed by the two parties. However, disputes over the steps to be taken prior to the vote have left many wondering if elections will be held.

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