Palestinian Woman Elected President of Oxford Union

DID Press: Arwa Hanin Elrayess, a student of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, has been elected President of the Oxford Union for the 2026 term.

The University’s student-run newspaper Cherwell reported that Arwa won the election with 757 votes, defeating her rival Lisa Barkova by 155 votes in a closely contested race.

Her father, Mohammed Elrayess, congratulated her in a public message, describing her as the “first Palestinian, Algerian, and Arab woman” to reach this prestigious position.

The Oxford Union is one of the world’s most renowned student debating societies and regularly hosts prominent speakers on major global issues.