Palestinian party sets date for candidate elections

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah party has set a date for a primary election to choose candidates for the summer parliamentary vote.

Fatah, plagued by allegations of corruption after 10 years of rule, is increasingly concerned it will be defeated by the militant Hamas movement in the elections, tentatively set for July 17.

By holding primaries, on May 27, Fatah hopes to select candidates with greater voter appeal, including younger activists.

Rauhi Fatouh, speaker of the Palestinian parliament and the head of the Fatahction committee, said the party hoped to register about half a million voters.

In a victory for the younger activists, who have complained of being sidelined by the veteran party members who accompanied the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat back from exile in 1994, Fatouh said there would be no reserved places on the list for current senior officials.

“Everyone will be subjected to primaries,” he said.

Young Fatah officials praised the move.

“This is a democratic decision,” said Kadoura Fares, a Fatah lawmaker and leader of the young guard. “It gives Fatah members equal opportunities, and everyone will be satisfied with the conclusion,” he said.

Fares said a motion to guarantee five places for senior members was rejected.

The organisation will choose a list of 132 candidates, Fatouh said, the same number of seats in the Palestinian parliament.