View source for Elections in Palestine

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{{Use American English|date = February 2024}}
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{{Politics of Palestine}}
'''Elections in Palestine''' are held sporadically. Elections for the [[Palestinian National Authority]] (PNA) were held in Palestinian Autonomous areas from 1994 until their transition into the [[State of Palestine]] in 2013. Elections were scheduled to be held in 2009,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vladimir |first=Pran |date=June 2008 |title=When are the next Palestinian elections? |url=http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/downloads/when_are_the_next_palestinian_elections_qa_ifes_jun_08.pdf |website=Palestinian Basic Law |publisher=IFES West Bank & Gaza}}</ref> but was postponed because of the [[Fatah–Hamas conflict]]. President [[Mahmoud Abbas]] agreed to stay on until the [[Next Palestinian general election|next election]],<ref name=YNN>{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3639210,00.html |title=Report: Abbas won't run for another term |website=Ynetnews |date=16 December 2008 |first=Roee |last=Nahmias }}</ref> but he was recognized as president only in the West Bank and not by [[Hamas]] in Gaza. The Palestinian National Authority has held several elections in the [[Palestinian territories]], including elections for president, the legislature and [[municipality (Palestinian Authority)|local councils]]. The PNA has a [[multi-party system]], with numerous [[political parties|parties]]. In this system, [[Fatah]] is the dominant party.

The first [[1996 Palestinian legislative and presidential election|legislative and presidential elections]] were held in 1996; the first [[2005 Palestinian municipal election|local elections]] in January–May 2005. Previous (failed) Legislative Council elections were held in [[1923 Palestinian Legislative Council election|1923]] under the [[Mandate for Palestine|British Mandate]], and previous municipal elections were held in 1972 and 1976, organized by the [[Israeli Military Governorate|Israeli government]].<ref>Aude Signoles, [http://www.afd.fr/webdav/site/afd/shared/PUBLICATIONS/RECHERCHE/Scientifiques/Focales/02-VA-Focales.pdf Local Government in Palestine]. University of Galatasaray, Turkey; October 2010.</ref>

The [[Palestinian Legislative Council]] passed a law in June 2005 (signed by Abbas on 13 August 2005), to increase the number of members from 88 to 132, with half to be elected using [[proportional representation]] and half by [[plurality-at-large voting]] in traditional constituencies.<ref name=pal_2005_elections_law>[http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/downloads/2005-elections-law.pdf ''Elections Law No 9 of 2005''], Article (2). 13 August 2005. [http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/election-laws/2005-elections-law Source]</ref> The [[2005 Palestinian presidential election|January 2005 presidential election]] was won by Abbas of Fatah, while the [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|January 2006 legislative election]] was won by [[Hamas]]. In 2007, a presidential decree abolished the constituency seats with all seats to be elected from a national list, and prohibited parties which did not acknowledge the Palestine Liberation Organization's right to represent the Palestinian people (specifically Hamas) from contesting the election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.people.cn/90001/90777/6253118.html|title=People's Daily Online - Abbas announces amended electoral law|website=en.people.cn|access-date=24 January 2018|archive-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124141256/http://en.people.cn/90001/90777/6253118.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> An opinion poll suggested that a majority of Palestinians supported the change, while Hamas called it illegal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28271/palestinians_support_electoral_reforms |title=Palestinians Support Electoral Reforms &#124; Angus Reid Public Opinion |website=www.angus-reid.com |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719050444/http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/28271/palestinians_support_electoral_reforms |archive-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

== Importance of the elections ==
{{see also|Next Palestinian general election|Next Palestinian presidential election}}

Elections in the [[Palestinian Authority]] are held to exercise the Palestinian right to [[self-determination]] in connection with their right to establish their own state, but are held under military occupation.<ref>UN General Assembly, [https://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/A2C2938216B39DE485256EA70070C849 ''Resolution 58/292. Status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem'']. 17 mei 2004 (doc.nr. A/RES/58/292).</ref> They are held in the framework of the [[Oslo Accords]], meaning that the power of the PNA was (and is) limited to matters such as culture, education, ID-cards, and the distribution of land and water as per the Oslo Interim Agreement.<ref group=upper-alpha>From the [[Oslo II|Oslo II-accord]]:<br />
Article I:<br />
1. Israel shall transfer powers and responsibilities as specified in this Agreement ... Israel shall continue to exercise powers and responsibilities not so transferred.<br />
Article IX:<br />
5 a. In accordance with the DOP, the Council will not have powers and responsibilities in the sphere of foreign relations, which sphere includes the establishment abroad of embassies, consulates or other types of foreign missions and posts or permitting their establishment in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, the appointment of or admission of diplomatic and consular staff, and the exercise of diplomatic functions. <br />
5 b. ... the PLO may conduct negotiations and sign agreements with states or international organizations for the benefit of the Council in the following cases only: 1. economic agreements ...; 2. agreements with donor countries for the purpose of implementing arrangements for the provision of assistance to the Council ; 3. agreements for the purpose of implementing the regional development plans ...; 4. cultural, scientific and educational agreements.</ref><ref>ProCon.org, [http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=000921 ''1995 Oslo Interim Agreement''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001040405/http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=000921 |date=1 October 2015 }}. 28 September 1995. [http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/3de5ebbc0.pdf pdf at unhcr]</ref>

In October 2007, 2 ex-ministers and 45 PLC members were in Israeli detention.<ref name=CEIRPP_2007>CEIRPP, 4 October 2007, [http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N07/531/14/pdf/N0753114.pdf?OpenElement ''Report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People''], pag. 11, par. 30 (doc.nr. A/62/35)</ref> In July 2012, there were 4,706 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Of these, 22 were PLC members, of which 18 were in administrative detention.<ref>Addameer, [http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=496 ''Addameer Monthly Detention Report - 1 July 2012''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019163115/http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=496 |date=19 October 2012 }}.</ref><ref name=addameer>Addameer, [http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=339 Palestinian Legislative Council Members] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412201616/http://addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=339 |date=2013-04-12 }}, June 2012</ref><ref name=memo>Middle East Monitor (MEMO), [http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/2821-palestinian-elected-representatives-are-still-detained-by-israel Palestinian elected representatives are still detained by Israel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224184404/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/2821-palestinian-elected-representatives-are-still-detained-by-israel |date=December 24, 2013 }}, 14 September 2011</ref> The November 2013 figures of Addameer give about 5,000 prisoners imprisoned by Israel, of which 14 are members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (10 PLC members in [[administrative detention]]).<ref>[http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=652 ''Addameer Monthly Detention Report - 1 November 2013''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224125901/http://www.addameer.org/etemplate.php?id=652 |date=December 24, 2013 }}.</ref>

Hamas announced its intention to once again boycott local elections and has repeatedly prevented free, local elections since it first took power of Gaza in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/municipal-elections-2021/|title=Local Elections (2021-2022)|date=October 7, 2021|website=ECFR|accessdate=February 25, 2024}}</ref>

==In the Gaza Strip==
{{main|Governance of the Gaza Strip}}
Following the [[Fatah–Hamas conflict]] that started in 2006, Hamas formed a government ruling the Gaza Strip without elections. Gazan Prime Minister Haniyye announced in September 2012 the formation of a [[Hamas government of 2012|second Hamas government]], also without elections.

==Parliamentary elections==
===1996 parliamentary elections===
At the 1996 general election, Fatah won 55 of the 88 seats from multi-member constituencies, with the number of representatives from each constituency determined by population. Some seats were set aside for the Christian and Samaritan communities. 51 seats were allocated to the West Bank, 37 to the Gaza Strip. Five out of 25 female candidates won a seat.
{{Election results
|party1=Fatah|votes1=1085593|seats1=50
|party2=Palestinian People's Party|votes2=102830|seats2=0
|party3=National Democratic Coalition|votes3=79058|seats3=1
|party4=Palestinian Democratic Union|votes4=71672|seats4=1
|party5=Liberty & Independence Bloc|votes5=57516|seats5=1
|party6=Palestinian Popular Struggle Front|votes6=26034|seats6=0
|party7=Arab Liberation Front|votes7=22810|seats7=0
|party8=Islamic Struggle Movement|votes8=12285|seats8=0
|party9=Islamic Jihad Movement|votes9=8391|seats9=0
|party10=National Democratic Movement|votes10=6831|seats10=0
|party11=Future Bloc|votes11=6584|seats11=0
|party12=Palestinian Liberation Front|votes12=3919|seats12=0
|party13=National Movement for Change|votes13=2658|seats13=0
|party14=Palestinian National Coalition|votes14=2635|seats14=0
|party15=Ba'ath Party|votes15=2230|seats15=0
|party16=Progressive National Bloc|votes16=1707|seats16=0
|party17=Independents|votes17=2020213|seats17=35
}}

===2006 parliamentary elections===
At the 2006 legislative election, six parties and 4 independents won seats. Change and Reform (i.e., Hamas) won 44.45% of the vote and 74 seats, while Fatah won 41.43% of the vote and 45 seats.
{{Election results
|image=[[File:Palestinian_Parliament.svg]]
|firstround=Proportional|secondround=District
|party1=Hamas|votes1=440409|seats1=29|votes1_2=1932168|seats1_2=45|totseats1=74
|party2=Fatah|votes2=410554|seats2=28|votes2_2=1684441|seats2_2=17|totseats2=45
|party3=Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine|Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa|votes3=42101|seats3=3|votes3_2=140074|seats3_2=0|totseats3=3
|party4=The Alternative (Palestine)|The Alternative|votes4=28973|seats4=2|votes4_2=8216|seats4_2=0|totseats4=2
|party5=Palestinian National Initiative|Independent Palestine|votes5=26909|seats5=2|votes5_2=0|seats5_2=0|totseats5=2
|party6=Third Way (Palestinian political party)|Third Way|votes6=23862|seats6=2|votes6_2=0|seats6_2=0|totseats6=2
|party7=Palestinian Popular Struggle Front|votes7=7127|seats7=0|votes7_2=8821|seats7_2=0|totseats7=0
|party8=Palestinian Arab Front|votes8=4398|seats8=0|votes8_2=3446|seats8_2=0|totseats8=0
|party9=Palestinian Liberation Front|Martyr Abu al-Abbas|votes9=3011|seats9=0|votes9_2=0|seats9_2=0|totseats9=0
|party10=National Coalition for Justice and Democracy|votes10=1806|seats10=0|votes10_2=0|seats10_2=0|totseats10=0
|party11=Palestinian Justice|votes11=1723|seats11=0|votes11_2=0|seats11_2=0|totseats11=0
|party12=Palestinian Democratic Union|votes12=0|votes12_2=3257|seats12=0|seats12_2=0|totseats12=0
|party13=Independents|votes13=0|votes13_2=953465|seats13=0|seats13_2=4|totseats13=4
}}

==Presidential elections==
===1996 presidential elections===
The 1996 president election was won by [[Yassir Arafat]] with 88.2% of the vote.<ref name=elections1995>Central Elections Commission (CEC), [http://www.elections.ps/Portals/0/pdf/Resultselection1996.pdf ''Results of first General election, 1996'']. [https://www.elections.ps/tabid/813/language/en-US/Default.aspx Here available] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202172833/http://www.elections.ps/tabid/813/language/en-US/Default.aspx |date=February 2, 2018 }}</ref>
{{Election results
|cand1=Yasser Arafat|party1=Fatah|votes1=643079
|cand2=Samiha Khalil|party2=Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine|votes2=72887
}}

===2005 presidential elections===
[[Mahmoud Abbas]] gained 62.52% of the vote at the 2005 presidential election, while his most important competing candidate, [[Mustafa Barghouti]], won 19.48%.
{{Election results
|cand1=Mahmoud Abbas|party1=Fatah|votes1=501448
|cand2=Mustafa Barghouti|party2=Independent|votes2=156227
|cand3=Taysir Khalid|party3=Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine|votes3=26848
|cand4=Abelhaleem Hasan Abdelraziq Ashqar|party4=Independent|votes4=22171
|cand5=Bassam as-Salhi|party5=Palestinian People's Party|votes5=21429
|cand6=Sayyid Barakah|party6=Independent|votes6=10406
|cand7=Abdel Karim Shubeir|party7=Independent|votes7=5717
}}

==Local elections==
===1972 and 1976 local elections===
Following the Israeli victory in the [[Six-Day War|Six Day War]], Israel gave limited autonomy to the West Bank, holding mayoral elections in 1972 and [[1976 West Bank local elections|1976]].<ref name="Pro-plo 1976">"Pro-plo, Communist Sweep in West Bank Elections: 72.3% of Eligible Voters. Including Women, Participate". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 13 April 1976.</ref> The elections were held under an amended version of the 1955 Jordanian electoral law, which granted the right to vote to all Palestinians over the age of 21,<ref>Yehuda Lukacs (1999) Israel, Jordan, and the Peace Process, Syracuse University Press, p141</ref> the law having previously restricted the franchise to male property owners,<ref>"Background Information the West Bank Elections". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 12 April 1976. Retrieved 27 March 2025.</ref> although women weren't able to vote until the 1976 elections.<ref name="nytimes.com">“Militants Run Well in West Bank Voting” The New York Times, 13 Apr. 1976, https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/13/archives/militants-run-well-in-west-bank-voting.html. Retrieved 27 Mar. 2025</ref> The changes in the franchise were opposed by Jordan, citing the Fourth Geneva Convention, which stated that an occupying power should maintain the status quo in any occupied territories.<ref>[https://www.arij.org/atlas40/chapter2.2.html 40 Years of Israeli Occupation] Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem</ref> There were boycotts and threats of violence in the 1972 elections,<ref>“Arab Turnout Heavy in Orderly West Bank Elections” The New York Times, 3 May 1972, https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/03/archives/arab-turnout-heavy-in-orderly-west-bank-elections.html. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025</ref> but by 1976 the PLO changed to actively participating in these elections.<ref name="Pro-plo 1976"/> Later elections were not held due to the elections of nationalist mayors in the 1976 elections<ref name="nytimes.com"/> out of concerns that further elections would "cause damage to the peace process."<ref>"Municipal Elections on the West Bank Postponed Indefinitely". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 23 July 1980. Retrieved 27 March 2025.</ref>

===2005 local elections===
Local elections in 2005 were held in four stages, but were never completed. The last stage was on December 23, 2005, with elections in 26 municipalities that had over 140,000 registered voters in Jericho and 25 villages in the West Bank. The elections were observed by the [[Congress of Local and Regional Authorities|Congress]] of the [[Council of Europe]], with the head of mission, [[Christopher Newbury]], commenting "Inside the polling stations, the Congress observed a free and fair election. Outside them, further improvements remain to be made."<ref>[https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-205493/ Palestinian local elections: marked improvement over previous rounds but major challenges remain, say Congress observers], un.org, December 2005, accessed 23 May 2021</ref>

Further local elections were planned, as over a quarter of the Palestinian population had had no chance to vote in them, including those in major towns such as Hebron, but they did not take place, due to conflict between Hamas and Fatah after the legislative elections of 2006.

===2010 and 2012 local elections===
{{main|2012 Palestinian local elections}}
Four year term of local councils in Palestinian Authority expired in January 2009. Council of Ministers called for local elections to be held on 17 July 2010, but after Fatah proved incapable of agreeing on list of candidates, the call for elections was canceled on 10 June 2010. The election was postponed and was later held in 2012 after several delays.

See [http://www.elections.ps/tabid/40/language/en-US/Default.aspx?IDL=455 Timeline of the 2012 Local Elections]

See [http://www.elections.ps/Portals/30/pdf/CEC_ElectionsMap2011.pdf here] for a useful set of maps in Arabic.

===2016 and 2017 local elections===
{{main|2017 Palestinian local elections}}
The elections were planned for October 8, 2016 but were delayed until May 13, 2017.

=== 2021–22 local elections ===
{{Main|2021–22 Palestinian local elections}}
The elections were held on 11 December 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|first=Deutsche|title=Palestinians vote in West Bank elections amid growing anger {{!}} DW {{!}} 11.12.2021|url=https://www.dw.com/en/palestinians-vote-in-west-bank-elections-amid-growing-anger/a-60093466|access-date=2021-12-14|website=DW.COM|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Central Elections Commission==
Following the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1993, the "Elections Commission" was formed to conduct the [[1996 Palestinian general election|Palestinian presidential and legislative elections in 1996]], the first elections in the Palestinian Authority. The [[Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics]] (PCBS) was given the task of voter registration.

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) was established in October 2002 as an independent and neutral body under the [[General Elections Law of 1995]]. The Elections Law, issued in August 2005, stipulated that the CEC is "the supreme body that undertakes the management, supervision, preparation and organization of elections and to take all necessary measures to ensure its integrity and freedom".<ref name=cec_about>[https://www.elections.ps/tabid/709/language/en-US/Default.aspx ''About the CEC''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210012106/http://www.elections.ps/tabid/709/language/en-US/Default.aspx |date=December 10, 2018 }}. Central Elections Commission. Accessed December 2015</ref> [[Hanna Nasir]] has been the chairman of the CEC since 2002.

Under the [[Local Council Elections Law No. (10) of 2005]], the CEC became responsible for organizing local council elections, in addition to organizing elections of the President of the Palestinian National Authority and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.<ref name=cec_about/>

==External election assistance==
The [[Elections Reform Support Group]] (ERSG) was formed with support from the [[United States]] and the [[European Union]] to support Palestinian elections.<ref name = "IFES_WB&G"/> One of the leading organizations for the ESRG is the [[International Foundation for Electoral Systems]], which has actively  assisted the Central Election Commission in 2004–2005 with the help of [[USAID]].<ref name ="IFES_WB&G">http://www.ifes.org/westbankgaza.html?page=past {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081128033302/http://www.ifes.org/westbankgaza.html?page=past |date=November 28, 2008 }} IFES West Bank/Gaza. Accessed June 30, 2009</ref> They continue to support the election commission.<ref name = "IFES_WB&G"/>

==See also==
* [[1923 Palestinian Legislative Council election]]
* [[Electoral calendar]]
* [[Electoral system]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
None of these URL showed proper information. They report 404 errors
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311154143/http://www.angus-reid.com/tracker/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/5057  Palestinian Authority Election Tracker]}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041216085105/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/p/palestine/ Adam Carr's Election Archive]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060208075845/http://www.angus-reid.com/tracker/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/6439 Pressure mounts on Hamas after win]}}

{{Palestinian elections |state=expanded}}
{{Palestinian governments |state=collapsed}}
{{Asia topic|Elections in}}
{{Palestine topics}}

[[Category:Elections in Palestine| ]]
[[Category:Elections in the Palestinian National Authority| ]]