France 'regrets' PA decision to delay Palestinian election, urges Abbas to reconsider

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1. 54m ago

   France Urges Abbas to Reconsider Election Delay

   France and several Western allies have expressed deep regret over the Palestinian Authority decision to postpone parliamentary and presidential votes to September 2027. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the delay, moving back parliamentary elections that had been scheduled for 28 November 2026 and presidential elections planned for early 2027. Foreign ministers from Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement warning that the decision deprives Palestinians of their democratic right to vote after more than two decades without national elections.

   Why it matters

   The postponement marks another delay in a system that has not held national votes in twenty years, following the cancellation of legislative elections previously scheduled for 2021. International partners continue to pressure Palestinian leadership to hold free and transparent elections as soon as possible to ensure democratic representation. France specifically urged Palestinian authorities to reverse the postponement and adhere to previous commitments.

   What is confirmed

   • France regrets the announcement by the President of the State of Palestine to postpone parliamentary elections scheduled for 28 November 2026 and presidential elections planned for early 2027 to September 2027.
   • The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom stated in a joint statement that Abbas' decision to postpone elections would once again deprive Palestinians of the opportunity to vote.
   • France urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to reverse the decision and hold elections as soon as possible.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Palestinian Vice President Hussein Sheikh sent a letter to the French Foreign Ministry stating that elections were postponed due to unsuitable political, security, and economic conditions.

   What to watch next

   • Any response or reconsideration by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas regarding the joint Western appeal to hold elections without delay.
   • Further diplomatic statements or actions from European and international partners regarding the Palestinian electoral timeline.
   Sources used for this update (18)

   1. www.jpost.com — The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and...
   2. AP News — Palestinian factions move to delay the first legislative elections in 20 years
   3. The New York Times — Palestinian Authority Says Elections Are to Be Postponed
   4. Reuters — Abbas postpones Palestinian elections, sets presidential poll for September 2027
   5. The New York Times — Palestinian Authority Formally Delays Elections, Despite Western Pressure
   6. The Jerusalem Post — Palestinian elections delayed to 2027, Abbas must deliver reform
   7. Fox News — Abbas delays Palestinian elections again, making more than two decades without vote
   8. The Jerusalem Post — France 'regrets' PA decision to delay Palestinian election, urges Abbas to reconsider
   9. ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation — Penny Wong urges Palestinian Authority to hold elections 'without delay'
   10. www.diplomatie.gouv.fr — Announcement of the postponement of Palestinian parliamentary ...
   11. elderofziyon.blogspot.com — 10/14 Links Pt2: This Is Not the London I Grew Up In; Dublin hotel cancels 70 rooms booked for conference....
   12. www.jns.org — Australia, Canada, France, UK ‘deeply regret’ PA’s decision to delay elections
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