Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

PLO Establishes Vice Presidency as Abbas Nears 90

The new role, created by a PLO central council vote, positions its holder as the likely successor to long-standing leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas holds a leadership meeting in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman
Image
Image

Overview

  • The PLO central council has voted to create a vice presidency, formally establishing a mechanism for presidential succession.
  • Mahmoud Abbas, 89, has led both the PLO and the Palestinian Authority for 20 years but has not named a successor.
  • The vice president will be selected from the PLO’s 15-member executive committee and is expected to be the frontrunner to succeed Abbas.
  • Hamas, which is not part of the PLO, has rejected the move as illegitimate, deepening the divide between the rival factions.
  • The decision comes as Abbas faces declining public support, demands for institutional reforms, and efforts to secure a role in Gaza’s post-war reconstruction.