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Why Hamas rejected amendments to local electoral law

The Palestinian government is seeking to amend the current electoral system, while Hamas claims that such changes will strengthen Fatah’s grip on the Palestinian local scene.
Palestinian policemen stand guard outside the headquarters of  the Central Elections Commission in the West Bank town of El Bireh August 17, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman  - RTX2LI47
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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — At the end of October, the Palestinian government expressed its intention to amend the local elections law and the electoral system, turning it from a closed proportional list to an open proportional list system, after the failure to hold local elections, which were slated for Oct. 8. This raised a debate among Palestinian factions and local bodies about the motives, objectives, reasons and timing of this move.

The Ministry of Local Government held dialogue rounds in Ramallah from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9 with representatives of factions, such as Fatah and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and civil society institutions to discuss the proposed electoral system.

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