Mahmoud Abbas, in his late 80s and facing widespread Palestinian discontent with his long tenure, has designated Hussein al-Sheikh as interim successor through 2025 decrees while maneuvering Fatah leadership structures. In May 2026 he secured unanimous re-election as Fatah head at a party conference and pledged reforms plus delayed elections, followed in June by an announcement of presidential voting in 2027 alongside possible legislative polls in late 2026. These steps occur against polls showing roughly 80 percent support for his resignation and ongoing questions over Palestinian Authority governance and succession procedures. Trader assessments of near-term removal hinge on Abbas’s health trajectory, Fatah internal dynamics, and whether scheduled elections or external pressures accelerate a transition before institutional timelines.