Press Statement by the Civil Coalition for Elections

Presidential and Legislative Elections on the Same Day: No Democracy Without Inclusion

The Civil Coalition for Elections is closely monitoring recent developments concerning the Palestinian electoral process, including the issuance of Decree-Law No. (10) of 2026, amending Decree-Law No. (1) of 2007 on General Elections and its amendments, as well as the approval of the 2026 Electoral System for the Palestinian National Council.

The Coalition affirms that any electoral process must form part of a comprehensive national pathway that restores the will of the Palestinian people. Elections must not be treated as a mere administrative exercise or a set of partial arrangements; rather, they constitute a comprehensive democratic and national entitlement aimed at renewing democratic legitimacy, ending political division, and strengthening the unity of the Palestinian political system throughout the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Accordingly, the Civil Coalition for Elections emphasizes the following:

First: The Coalition supports the holding of general presidential and legislative elections simultaneously and on the same day throughout all Palestinian governorates in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Elections are a fundamental right of all citizens and an essential prerequisite for renewing democratic legitimacy, reaffirming the unity of the Palestinian political system between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and preventing any attempts to bypass legitimate Palestinian representation or create alternative institutions and representative frameworks, as reflected in concerns arising in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025).

Second: The Coalition calls for the issuance, at the earliest possible opportunity, of a presidential decree setting the date for the presidential and legislative elections to be held on the same day, according to a clear and binding electoral timetable. Such a timetable is essential to ensure legal and political certainty and to enable the Central Elections Commission, political parties, civil society organizations, and citizens to prepare effectively for this important democratic process.

Third: The Coalition calls for the immediate launch of a broad and inclusive national dialogue involving all Palestinian political parties and factions, together with civil society organizations, women's and youth organizations, trade unions, and professional and popular associations. The objective should be to create the necessary political, legal, and social environment for inclusive elections in which all components of Palestinian society can participate without exclusion.

Fourth: The Coalition rejects the imposition of ideological conditions on candidates that would exclude Palestinian political forces because of their political orientation or vision. It emphasizes that the regulation of the right to stand for election should remain strictly within the clear legal provisions set forth in Decree-Law No. (1) of 2007 on General Elections, as amended, without introducing vague or politically motivated eligibility requirements that undermine political pluralism and citizens' right to freely choose their representatives. Accordingly, the Coalition rejects the recent amendments introducing such conditions and calls for their repeal.

Fifth: The Coalition stresses the necessity of reaching a clear and prior national consensus regarding the mechanisms for Jerusalem's participation in the electoral process, including candidacy, voting, and electoral campaigning, and warns against postponing this issue until the final stages, as occurred during the 2021 elections.

Sixth: The Coalition calls for amending the electoral law to ensure that women occupy no less than 30 per cent of the final elected seats, rather than limiting this requirement to the composition of electoral lists. Women's political participation is not merely symbolic; it is a fundamental measure of the fairness and inclusiveness of the electoral system and an indispensable prerequisite for renewing Palestinian political life on the basis of equality and meaningful representation.

Seventh: The Coalition calls for a review of the 2026 Electoral System for the Palestinian National Council, in light of shortcomings and gaps, particularly concerning the mechanisms for selecting and representing members from abroad and the Palestinian diaspora. The Coalition believes that the absence of clear and adequate criteria and safeguards may allow for unrepresentative or selective appointments serving specific political interests rather than reflecting the broad will of Palestinians wherever they reside. It therefore calls for refraining from making any appointments to represent Palestinians abroad until the electoral system has been revised and its procedures clarified, ensuring fair, transparent, and accountable standards that safeguard the right of Palestinians in the diaspora to genuine, rather than symbolic, representation.

Eighth: The Coalition calls upon the international community, particularly states and institutions that express support for the Palestinian democratic process and advocate the renewal of democratic legitimacy through elections, to assume their political and legal responsibilities rather than limiting themselves to rhetorical support. This requires exerting meaningful pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to ensure that elections can be held in Jerusalem and that Jerusalemite Palestinians are able to participate freely as candidates, voters, and campaigners. It also requires preventing any interference in the electoral process, including the arrest or intimidation of candidates or the obstruction of electoral campaigns, as occurred during the most recent local elections. Furthermore, the Coalition calls on these states and institutions to provide practical political, technical, and electoral support for the holding of Palestinian general elections, ensuring that they are inclusive, free, fair, and genuinely reflective of the will of Palestinian women and men.

The Civil Coalition for Elections reiterates that restoring public confidence in Palestinian political life must begin with free, fair, and inclusive presidential and legislative elections based on political pluralism, equality, and the rule of law. Such elections must guarantee the participation of all Palestinians without exclusion and fully respect the political rights of Palestinian women and men, both in Palestine and throughout the diaspora.

Civil Coalition for Elections

•       Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR)

•       Arab World Observatory for Democracy and Elections (AWODE)

•       Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN)

•       Human Rights and Democracy Media Center "SHAMS"

•       Thabat Center

•       Jerusalem Legal Aid Center

•       Al-Najdeh Association

•       Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession – ISTIQLAL

•       Al-Haq

•       Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Legal Profession and the Judiciary – MUSAWA

•       Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH)

•       Center for the Defense of Civil Rights and Liberties

•       Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy Issues

•       Palestinian Institution for Empowerment and Local Development (REFORM)

•       Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development

2 July 2026