Oxford Union elects Palestinian president

The Oxford Union, one of the world’s most prestigious student societies, has elected its first Palestinian president. 

Arwa Hanin Elrayess was elected to head up the union for the trinity (summer) term in 2026. 

She was elected with 757 first preference votes, which was 150 more than the runner-up. 

Turnout was 1,528, which was distinctly higher than the previous term’s election, according to the Oxford Student. 

Elrayess studies philosophy, politics and economics, and belongs to the St Edmund’s Hall constituent college. 

Reacting to the election, her father Mohamed Elrayess wrote on LinkedIn: “Very proud of my daughter… for making history as the first Arab female, the first Palestinian, and the first Algerian to be elected President of the Oxford Union.” 

The president-elect was involved in the production of a documentary called Heart of a Protest, which focused on protests in London in solidarity with Palestinians. 

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