Palestine to hold first legislative election in nearly two decades
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called legislative elections for November 28, reviving a democratic process that has remained frozen for nearly 20 years.
The decree, issued on Thursday, asks Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem to vote for representatives to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the parliament of the Palestinian Authority.
If the vote proceeds as planned, it will be the first parliamentary election since 2006, when Hamas secured a surprise victory over Abbas' Fatah movement . The political fallout from that election led to a split between the West Bank and Gaza, leaving the PLC effectively inactive since 2007.
The announcement comes as the Palestinian Authority faces growing international calls to implement political reforms . Several donor countries have pushed for improvements in governance and institutional accountability in exchange for financial assistance.
The decree, issued on Thursday, asks Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem to vote for representatives to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the parliament of the Palestinian Authority.
If the vote proceeds as planned, it will be the first parliamentary election since 2006, when Hamas secured a surprise victory over Abbas' Fatah movement . The political fallout from that election led to a split between the West Bank and Gaza, leaving the PLC effectively inactive since 2007.
The announcement comes as the Palestinian Authority faces growing international calls to implement political reforms . Several donor countries have pushed for improvements in governance and institutional accountability in exchange for financial assistance.
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