PA President Abbas postpones Palestinian elections to 2027, causing outrage among his opponents

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas over the weekend announced the postponement of legislative elections until September 2027. 

Abbas cited Israeli-imposed obstacles as the reason for the postponement and claimed that the various Palestinian political parties and factions had agreed to the move. 

The elections, the first legislative elections in the Palestinian territories since 2006, were originally scheduled for Nov. 28 of this year, as part of a pledge of reforms made to several countries, including France, Canada and Britain, in return for recognition of a Palestinian state in 2025. 

At that time, the Canadian government explicitly linked its planned recognition to the promised reforms, which included general elections in 2026, from which Hamas would be barred from participating. 

In a statement at the time, Prime Minister Mark Carney said, “The Palestinian Authority has provided direct commitments to Canada and the international community on much-needed reforms, including to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarize the Palestinian state.” 

Carney also promised that Canada would “intensify efforts to support the Palestinian Authority’s implementation of this reform agenda.” 

France, which also recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025, emphasized the PA's promise to hold legislative elections under international supervision within one year. 

“France regrets the announcement by the President of the State of Palestine of the postponement to September 2027of the parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 November 2026, and the presidential election planned for early 2027,” the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 

The ministry noted the twenty-year gap since the last elections, saying, “This decision once again deprives the Palestinian people of the right to democratic expression at the ballot box.” 

#Palestine | Announcement of the postponement of Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections https://t.co/ILTZUGZcAo

— France Diplomacy 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@francediplo_EN) October 11, 2026

“France is calling on the Palestinian authorities to reverse their decision and to organise parliamentary and presidential elections throughout Palestine as soon as possible,” a French foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. 

Several other European countries, including Portugal, pointed to PA assurances of institutional reform, a promise of Hamas disarmament, and a demilitarized Palestinian state, as the basis for recognizing a Palestinian state. 

However, after several days, many of these countries have yet to provide an official response to the announcement by Abbas. 

2025: Australia, Canada, and France recognize the “State of Palestine” because Mahmoud Abbas promises elections in 2026 2026: Mahmoud Abbas postpones the elections (again) until 2027 (maybe) Abbas lied. Derecognize Palestine. https://t.co/zmFvm86vin

— Max 📟 (@MaxNordau) October 11, 2026

Critics noted that the statements by Western governments which recognized a Palestinian state last year, did not establish any mechanism for withdrawing that recognition if the PA failed to honor its commitments. 

Israel’s Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed questioned when his host country would admit the mistake. 

One year ago Canada recognised Palestinian statehood in exchange for Mahmoud Abbas’s ‘commitments’ - a list of 30-years long broken promises. Now Abbas postponed elections to September 2027… Add that to the continuing Pay4Slay program for terrorists, and many other undelivered reforms. What more is needed to recognise and admit that Canada’s irreversible move was in vain?

— Iddo Moed (@MoedIddo) October 11, 2026

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the excuse by Abbas blaming Israel for the delay, “yet another ridiculous lie designed to evade responsibility and accountability.” 

Samer Sinijlawi, head of the Masar Jadid (New Path) party, blamed Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Deputy Secretary-General Jamil Mezher in a statement to The Jerusalem Post. 

“In my political assessment, efforts by a small number of leaders were the main driving force behind this decision, supported by certain factions, foremost among them the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. I hold those advocating this course politically responsible for pressuring the President to deny our people the opportunity to vote on the date established by presidential decree,” Sinijlawi wrote to his social media account. 

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian corrupt dictator, who has not held elections in over twenty years, has once again deceived the international community. His attempt to drag Israel into this, falsely claiming that Israel imposed obstacles to holding elections, is yet another ridiculous lie designed to evade responsibility and accountability. Just like the other lies about “reforms” that were never implemented — ending payments to terrorists and their families, and stoping incitement in the Palestinian education system. For over twenty years, Abbas has been selling the same thing: lies.

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) October 10, 2026

Mohammed Dahlan, a former PA official, who was close to Abbas in his role as head of the Palestinian National Security Council, also slammed the decision to postpone the elections, which he called “a crime against democracy.” 

He accused the PA leadership of financial, administrative and political corruption, claiming the postponement was due to the fear of losing what he called a “monopoly of national institutions.” 

Dahlan also accused PA leadership of making promises to the international community without fulfilling them, and called on the international community review its support for the PA, which he called a “corrupt tyrannical junta.” 

At the same time, some online accounts noted that the elections have been rescheduled for Sept. 11, 2027, questioning the choice of that specific date, given its significance for the U.S.