Mahmoud Abbas, the 90-year-old president of the Palestinian Authority and leader of Fatah, continues to consolidate control through institutional mechanisms and party structures despite long-standing questions over succession. In October 2025 he issued a constitutional declaration designating PLO Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh as interim leader for up to 90 days if a vacancy occurs, with elections required thereafter. At the Fatah congress held 14–16 May 2026, Abbas was unanimously re-elected movement head, pledged long-delayed presidential and parliamentary elections without setting a date, and supported his son Yasser’s election to the Central Committee. These steps, combined with the absence of scheduled national polls and the Central Committee’s role in any transition, shape trader assessments of the timeline for Abbas’s departure from office.