The Central Elections Commission (CEC) in Palestine announced the start of receiving applications for candidacy for the Palestinian Legislative Council 2021 elections, starting from Saturday morning until the evening of Wednesday, March 31, 2021, including official holidays.

CEC said in a press statement, a copy of which obtained by Safa, that the receiving of the applications will be at the committee’s general headquarters in the city of Al-Bireh and the regional headquarters in Gaza City.

"Candidacy is through electoral lists based on full proportional representation, and individual candidacy applications are not accepted so that the number of the list’s candidates is not less than 16 and no more than 132 candidates," said CEC, stressing the need for the lists and their candidates to adhere to conditions: Candidacy stipulated in Decision Law No. (1) of 2007 and its amendments.

It also stressed the necessity that applications be submitted according to the necessary forms available at the general headquarters in Al-Bireh and the regional headquarters in Gaza City, through the electoral districts offices in the Palestinian governorates, and through the committee's website.

Moreover, it indicated that it will study candidacy applications within five days from the date of their submission and ensure that they fulfill the legal requirements so that it issues its decision to accept or reject the request and officially inform the list's coordinator and commissioner of that.

Last January, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree announcing that the legislative and presidential elections and the National Council would be held in three stages.

Later, the Central Election Commission announced that the legislative elections would be held on May 22, the presidential elections on July 31, and the National Assembly on August 31, 2021.

The last Palestinian elections for the Legislative Council were held at the beginning of 2006, and resulted in the victory of the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" a majority. A year earlier, elections for the presidency, in which the current President Mahmoud Abbas won.