Mahmoud Abbas, the 90-year-old Palestinian Authority president who has held office since 2005 without facing reelection, remains in power amid ongoing succession planning. In October 2025 he issued a constitutional decree designating PLO deputy Hussein al-Sheikh as interim successor for up to 90 days (extendable once) pending elections if the presidency becomes vacant. Abbas later pledged legislative elections for November 2026 and presidential elections in 2027, while his Fatah movement held its first major conference in a decade in May 2026, re-electing him as leader and elevating his son Yasser to the central committee. Polls show roughly 80 percent of Palestinians favoring his resignation, yet he continues to control key institutions, limit decision-making to a small circle, and resist immediate transition despite internal reform calls and external pressures tied to Gaza and PA finances.