Mahmoud Abbas, aged 90, continues to lead the Palestinian Authority and Fatah amid internal party reforms and scheduled elections. He recently set legislative elections for November 28, 2026—the first in over two decades—and confirmed presidential elections for early 2027, while appointing Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president and interim successor via constitutional decree. Fatah’s May 2026 leadership vote reaffirmed Abbas’s role but highlighted succession questions and public discontent with the party. Trader sentiment reflects these timelines, Abbas’s long tenure since 2005, and structural barriers such as the absence of competitive national polls or sudden vacancies, tempered by his advanced age and potential for health or political shifts before 2027.