Mahmoud Abbas has served as Palestinian Authority president since 2005, well beyond his original term, amid repeated delays in holding national elections. In October 2025 he issued a constitutional decree designating Hussein al-Sheikh as interim successor for up to 90 days should the presidency become vacant, a move intended to provide continuity but criticized for bypassing broader consultation. At the Fatah movement’s first central committee conference in nearly a decade, held in mid-May 2026, Abbas was unanimously re-elected leader and pledged reforms plus eventual presidential and legislative votes without setting a date. Palestinian polls continue to show widespread public dissatisfaction with his long rule, while internal debates over succession, including rising activity by his son Yasser, remain unresolved. These institutional and generational dynamics continue to shape expectations around any near-term leadership transition.