Elections in the Palestinian National Authority
Encyclopedia
Elections in the Palestinian National Authority
(PNA) gives information on election
and election results in the Palestinian territories
.
The PNA hold elections for a president
, legislature
and local councils. Until 2007, the National Council had 133 members, with 66 members elected in 16 multi-seat constituencies, 66 elected proportional to the vote for each party, and the president as ex officio member. In 2007, the voting system was changed by Presidential Decree to abolish the constituency seats, and also prohibiting parties from contesting the election which did not acknowledge the PLO's right to represent the Palestinian people (specifically Hamas
). An opinion poll suggested that a majority of Palestinians supported the change, while Hamas called it illegal.
The PNA has a multi-party system
, with numerous parties
. In this system Fatah
was the dominant party. Legislative and presidential election
were held in 1996; local elections
in January-May 2005, organized by PNA president Yasser Arafat
before his death; the January 2005 presidential election
, won by Mahmoud Abbas
, preceded the Hamas
victory during the legislative election
in January 2006.
Four year term of local councils in Palestinian Territories 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.
(ERSG) was formed with support from the United States
and the European Union
to support Palestinian elections. 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. They continue to support the election commission.
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
(PNA) gives information on election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
and election results in the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
The PNA hold elections for a president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
and local councils. Until 2007, the National Council had 133 members, with 66 members elected in 16 multi-seat constituencies, 66 elected proportional to the vote for each party, and the president as ex officio member. In 2007, the voting system was changed by Presidential Decree to abolish the constituency seats, and also prohibiting parties from contesting the election which did not acknowledge the PLO's right to represent the Palestinian people (specifically Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
). An opinion poll suggested that a majority of Palestinians supported the change, while Hamas called it illegal.
The PNA has a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
, with numerous parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
. In this system Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
was the dominant party. Legislative and presidential election
Palestinian legislative and presidential election, 1996
On January 20, 1996, elections took place in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem for President of the Palestinian National Authority , and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council , the legislative arm of the PNA....
were held in 1996; local elections
Palestinian municipal election, 2005
Municipal elections were held to elect members of local councils in the Palestinian Territories between December 2004 and December 2005. They were the first local elections held in Palestinian areas in almost thirty years....
in January-May 2005, organized by PNA president Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
before his death; the January 2005 presidential election
Palestinian presidential election, 2005
The 2005 Palestinian presidential election — the first to be held since 1996 — took place on January 9, 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Voters elected PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas as the new President of the Palestinian Authority to replace Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11,...
, won by Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, preceded the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
victory during the legislative election
Palestinian legislative election, 2006
On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council , the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority . Notwithstanding the 2005 municipal elections and the January 9, 2005 presidential election, this was the first election to the PLC since 1996; subsequent...
in January 2006.
2006 Parliamentary election
2005 Presidential election
Local elections
Local elections in 2005 were held in four stages, but were never finalized. The last stage was held on December 23, 2005. On that day, elections were held in 26 municipalities that included over 140,000 eligible voters in Jericho and 25 villages in the West Bank. Over a quarter of Palestinian population was not included in these elections, including major towns such as Hebron. Conflict between Hamas and Fatah anfter legislative elections in 2006 placed local elections on hold.Four year term of local councils in Palestinian Territories 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.
External election assistance
The Elections Reform Support GroupElections Reform Support Group
The Elections Reform Support Group or ERSG was an forum of donors co-chaired by the United States and the European Union to coordinate the reform of the Palestinian electoral system. ESRG was founded in 2002. Members include the states of Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the...
(ERSG) was formed with support from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
to support Palestinian elections. One of the leading organizations for the ESRG is the International Foundation for Electoral Systems
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems is an international, non-profit organization founded in 1987. This Washington, D. C.-based development organization provides assistance and support for elections in new and emerging democracies...
, which has actively assisted the Central Election Commission in 2004-2005 with the help of USAID. They continue to support the election commission.