The 8th General Conference of Fatah unanimously elects Mahmoud Abbas as chairman

CAIRO – 14 May 2026: Members of the Eighth General Conference of the Fatah Movement unanimously elected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as Chairman of the Fatah Movement on Thursday.

Conference members unanimously voted to elect President Mahmoud Abbas as Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the movement, expressing their support for his leadership during this critical stage in the history of the Palestinian people and their full confidence in his ability to lead.

President Abbas is the elected President of the State of Palestine, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and one of the founding members of the Fatah Movement.

The Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that approximately 2,580 members participated in the conference.

According to the movement’s bylaws, conference members elect 80 members to the Revolutionary Council and 18 members to the Central Committee. The conference also has the authority to amend these numbers, either by increasing or decreasing them, if deemed necessary.

The conference proceedings will continue for three days, from Thursday to Saturday. The opening session includes a speech by President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as speeches by Palestinian national factions and representatives of Palestinians from the 1948 territories, before moving on to internal sessions to confirm the legal quorum and elect the conference’s presiding body.