The ruling Fatah party today chose former premier Mr Mahmoud Abbas as its candidate to replace Yasser Arafat as head of the Palestinian Authority in January's elections.
Mr Abbas, 69, Mr Arafat's long-time deputy as head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, has already been named head of the PLO.
If elected president of the Palestinian Authority, he would inherit two of Mr Arafat's main titles. Arafat died on November 11th.
The Fatah Central Committee, the movement's main decision-making body, picked Mr Abbas as its nominee at a meeting in Ramallah, said Mr Intissar al-Wazir, a member of the body.