Oxford Union elects first Palestinian president in historic vote

• Arwa Hanin Elrayess, a student of Palestinian-Algerian heritage, was elected President of the Oxford Union for Trinity Term 2026.
• Elrayess is the first Palestinian to hold the presidency of the prestigious 202-year-old debating society, winning with 757 first-preference votes.

The Oxford Union, one of the world's oldest and most renowned debating societies, has elected Arwa Hanin Elrayess as its president for Trinity Term 2026, marking the first time a Palestinian has held the position.

Elrayess, a second-year student studying philosophy, politics, and economics at St Edmund Hall, secured the role as a president within the prestigious institution founded in 1823.

Elrayess triumphed with 757 first-preference votes in a turnout of 1,528 members, defeating runner-up Liza Barkova, a fellow second-year PPE student from Christ Church, by approximately 150 votes.

Both candidates were already serving on the Union's Standing Committee.

Of Palestinian-Algerian heritage, Elrayess has been described as the first Arab woman and first Algerian to lead the Union, according to her father's public statement.

Her background includes education in Qatar, where she attended Doha College and served as head girl, with family ties to Gaza mentioned in her campaign materials.

This election comes as the Union continues to host high-profile debates on global issues, including those related to the Middle East.

Running on the #ENGAGE slate, Elrayess campaigned on reforming the Union's governance by separating internal politics from debate quality, implementing stricter financial controls amid reported fiscal challenges, and ensuring transparent committee summaries and impartial allocation of perks like guest dinners.

The #ENGAGE slate dominated the election, securing other key roles: Harry Aldridge as secretary with 700 votes, Catherine Xu as treasurer with 693, and Prajwal Pandey as librarian with 635.

Additional committee positions were filled by a diverse group, including Dheeraj K. Singh and Milo Donovan on the Standing Committee.

This vote follows a turbulent period for the Oxford Union, marked by no-confidence motions against previous leaders, including president-elect George Abaraonye and president Moosa Harraj, over controversies involving statements and internal disputes.

The society has also faced scrutiny for debates on ‘Israel’-Palestine issues, with some critics highlighting tensions around activism and speaker invitations.

Elrayess expressed gratitude in a statement, noting her honor at being the first Palestinian in the role and committing to serve the members.