میدل-ایست-آیPalestine's Abbas names deputy al-Sheikh as successor if presidency is vacated
Palestine's Abbas names deputy al-Sheikh as successor if presidency is vacated
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on Sunday naming his vice president, Hussein al-Sheikh, as acting president in the event of a vacancy.
The decree stipulates that if the president dies or becomes incapacitated, the vice president will assume the role for up to 90 days, during which elections for a new president must be held.
If elections cannot be held within that period due to exceptional circumstances, the Palestinian Central Council may extend the interim term once, the decree adds.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from opponents, who have called it unconstitutional. Under Palestinian law, the speaker of parliament - last elected from Hamas in 2006 - is next in line for succession.
