Africa & Middle East · reference
🇵🇸 Palestine
UN observer state · semi-presidential authority under occupation, with divided governance
SystemUN observer state · semi-presidential authority under occupation, with divided governance
Head of statePresident Mahmoud Abbas, elected in 2005 · his term formally expired in 2009
Head of governmentPrime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (Palestinian Authority) · Hamas has run Gaza separately since 2007
LegislatureThe Palestinian Legislative Council was dissolved in 2018 and has not sat since the 2006 election
ElectionsNo national elections since 2006 · the votes scheduled for 2021 were postponed indefinitely
Last election2006-01-25 · legislative election, won by Hamas
The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank under Israeli occupation, while Gaza, devastated by the war that began in October 2023 and subject to a ceasefire framework from late 2025, has been governed by Hamas since 2007. A wave of recognitions in 2024-25, including by France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, brought the number of states recognising Palestine past 150. Reunifying governance and holding long-delayed elections are preconditions most donors set for reconstruction.
Live encyclopedic leader and election records · verified 2026-07-02
The Margin models elections where a competitive public record exists · all countries