Dahlan: Abbas fears the ballot box and popular accountability

Dimitri Dilani, a leader in Fatah's Democratic Reformist Current, says the cancellation of the legislative elections and the postponement of the presidential and legislative vote to September 2027 prolong Mahmoud Abbas's monopoly on power and delay popular accountability. He argues that Abbas fears the formation of an electoral alliance capable of ending that monopoly, and holds the European Union responsible for supporting him.

Dimitri Dilani, a leader in the Democratic Reformist Current in the Fatah movement, said that the cancellation of the legislative elections scheduled for 28 November 2026, and the setting of 11 September 2027 as the date for holding the presidential and legislative elections, prolong Mahmoud Abbas's monopoly on power and delay popular accountability. Dilani stressed that holding the elections as soon as possible is a necessity in order to hold Abbas accountable for obstructing the elections, undermining the political system, and failing in political and institutional performance. He argued that Abbas fears the formation of an electoral alliance that includes the Democratic Reform Current and opposition forces to him within Fatah, alongside factions from outside it, considering that this alliance is capable of obtaining a popular mandate and ending the monopoly on power. Dilani held the European Union responsible for supporting Abbas politically, considering that this support reinforces the survival of the authority far from popular accountability. Abbas issued a presidential decree calling for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections on 11 September 2027, after the cancellation of the legislative elections decree of 28 November 2026.