 The situation was aggravated on 9 January 2009 when Abbas's term of office should have expired and Hamas appointed its own acting president in the form of Abdel Aziz Duwaik, who as the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council can take over the post for 60 days under certain circumstances.The Palestinian Legislative Council is the legislature of the Palestinian Authority.It is not to be confused with the Palestine National Council, which remains the national legislature of the Palestinian people as a whole.