The head of the Palestinian political movement known as New Path, or Masar Jadid, says that upcoming Palestinian legislative elections could open the door to a major shift in leadership. Samer Sinijlawi announced that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to declare later this month that the elections will take place on November 28. Sinijlawi called the anticipated vote a chance for new political voices to rise “after years of political stagnation.”
According to Sinijlawi, the expected announcement comes after sustained pressure from those who have been pushing for greater Palestinian democratic participation. If held, the vote would be the first Palestinian legislative election in more than two decades.
In mid-June, President Abbas issued an official decree calling for presidential elections in early 2027 and legislative elections later this year, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. The decree did not indicate whether Abbas himself would seek the presidency again.
Abbas, who is 90 years old, last won a Palestinian presidential election in 2005. That victory came with a four-year mandate, which would have ended in 2009. His term was subsequently extended, and no presidential election has been held since. Abbas has governed through presidential decrees, a practice that has drawn criticism both within Palestinian territories and internationally.
Israelis are set to hold their own government elections no later than October 20, with Palestinian legislative elections anticipated shortly after.
“For the first time in more than two decades, there is a genuine opportunity for a new Palestinian leadership to emerge through the ballot box,” Sinijlawi said.
He projected that the established Fatah party would capture roughly 20% of the vote, with Islamist parties earning a comparable share. He suggested the remaining votes would likely be split among two or three newer parties, including New Path, which he characterized as moderate, democratic, and reform-focused alternatives to the current political establishment.
At the same time, Sinijlawi pointed out that significant hurdles still stand in the way of a truly level playing field. He noted that the Palestinian Authority has yet to pass a Political Parties Law that would ensure equal conditions for all competing political movements. He also accused Palestinian security forces of interfering with the activities of newer political groups.
“In recent days, several leaders of New Path in the West Bank were summoned for questioning by the Palestinian General Intelligence Service in what we view as attempts to intimidate and harass our movement,” he said.
Sinijlawi urged the international community to pay close attention to the situation and to stand behind what he described as the Palestinian people’s right to elections that are free, fair, and genuinely competitive.
“A new Palestinian leadership with democratic legitimacy would serve the interests of both Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.
Sinijlawi wrapped up his remarks by stressing that the outcome of these elections could shape the entire future course of Palestinian politics.
“Change is now within reach. We stand before two clear alternatives: either elections that open the door to a new era of moderation, partnership, and peace, or the continuation of the current reality, which will almost certainly produce another generation of wars and conflict.”
