Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed a decree on Wednesday setting out the terms of the interim when his position becomes « vacant » which de facto keeps Hamas out of business during this transitional period.
In the current state of Palestinian legislation, it is the president of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC, Parliament) who takes the reins of the Palestinian Authority in the event of a vacancy in power. However, the CLP, where Hamas had the majority, was dissolved by Mr. Abbas in 2018 after more than a decade of tensions between his party, Fatah, and the Islamist movement, which expelled the Palestinian Authority from the strip. from Gaza in 2007.
Aged 89, the president of the Palestinian Authority, who remained so although his mandate expired in December 2009, has so far resisted pressure from those who urge him to designate a heir apparent or appoint a vice-president. president. The decree published Wednesday states that, “if the position of President of the National Authority becomes vacant in the absence of the Legislative Council, the President of the Palestinian National Council [PNC] assumes temporarily » the load.
Hamas, which does not belong to the PLO, is not represented in the PNC. The deputies are not elected, but appointed, and the head of this council, Raouhi Fatouh, is close to Mr. Abbas, a member like him of Fatah, and rather unknown to the public. Mr. Abbas’ decree provides for the holding of a presidential election within a maximum period of ninety days, which can be extended once only in the event of « force majeure ».
