The general election was for the President of the PA and for members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

Pursuant to the Oslo Accords, the PA Government had only authority over some civil rights of the Palestinians in the West Bank Areas A and B and in the Gaza Strip, and over internal security in Area A and in Gaza.

In 1997, the Palestinian Legislative Council approved the Basic Law, which was not signed by Arafat until 29 May 2002.

This 2002 Basic Law stipulated that it only applied to the interim period set by the Oslo Accords.

According to the Law, the Legislative Council (which should approve the Government) as well as the President of the Palestinian Authority (who should appoint the Ministers) were envisioned to function until the end of the interim period.