Through appointments... Has Abbas decided the elections before they were held?"

Ahead of the Palestinian National Council and Legislative Council elections, President Mahmoud Abbas takes controversial steps: a new electoral system, appointments to the election committee and the election court. The article raises the question of whether these steps pave the way for genuine elections or pre-determine the results through appointments and rules.

Before voters reach the ballot boxes, President Mahmoud Abbas has taken a series of measures that have reshaped the legal and institutional environment for the upcoming elections, including calling for elections to the National Council on November 1 and the Legislative Council on the 28th of the same month, approving a new electoral system for the National Council, reconstituting the Central Elections Commission, and forming an Election Court. The article raises a political and legal question: Is Abbas preparing for genuine elections that could redistribute power balances, or are part of the results being predetermined through appointments and rules set before voters reach the ballot boxes? The question gains importance with the election of the National Council, which includes 350 members, 200 representing the Palestinian territories and 150 representing Palestinians abroad and in the diaspora. While the system stipulates direct elections where possible, it allows for electoral colleges or consensus in areas where elections are not feasible. Critics argue that concentrating powers to form electoral and judicial institutions in the presidency raises questions about the independence of the process. The article conveys analysts' opinions: Saleh Lutfi believes the measures cannot be separated from the struggle over the form of the political system, and that the leadership is building an institutional advantage for itself. In contrast, Talal Awkal argues that the criticisms deserve discussion but warns that objections could become a reason to disrupt the elections, emphasizing the Palestinians' need to renew their institutions.