Mahmoud Abbas, aged 90 and in office since 2005 without fresh elections, continues to shape Palestinian Authority leadership through institutional maneuvers. In 2025 he created a vice-presidential post and designated Hussein al-Sheikh as interim successor, later formalizing the arrangement via decree. At the May 2026 Fatah conference he was re-elected party leader, elevated his son Yasser to the central committee, and pledged reforms alongside long-delayed legislative elections now set for 28 November 2026 and presidential voting in early 2027. These steps, alongside persistent public and factional pressure for renewal, anchor trader assessments of any near-term exit. No acute health or resignation signals have emerged in recent months, keeping focus on the electoral timeline and Fatah internal dynamics as the primary variables that could accelerate or delay a leadership change.