Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy head of Fatah, told reporters in the central West Bank city of Ramallah: "I can acknowledge the decline in Fatah's presence among the masses" Aloul, 72, is a senior Palestinian leader and one of the most important candidates expected to succeed current President Abbas, 87. An opinion poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that only 35% of Palestinians would vote for Fatah if legislative elections were held today.