Jonah Patel
Israeli politics is a complicated affair. The country operates as a liberal democracy with a parliamentary system, in which the head of the legislature (the Prime Minister) is also the chief executive. The President of Israel is a largely ceremonial role. Israel has a multiparty system, with a proportional representation model, in which parties are rewarded with a number of seats proportional to the number of votes received. This means that to get representation in the parliament, a party needs to win only 3.25% of the vote. However, no party has ever won the 61 seats necessary for a majority, resulting in coalition governments. This means that smaller parties have an outsized influence on policy. Elections take place every four years, and election campaigns are a lively affair, with vigorous debate and active participation from Israelis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of democracy | Liberal democracy |
| Constitution | No written constitution, but a series of Basic Laws |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Parliamentary system | Yes |
| Number of seats in parliament | 120 |
| Percentage of votes required for representation in parliament | 3.25% |
| Number of votes required for a majority | 61 seats |
| Number of parties | Many |
| Type of parties | Left, right, center, or representing certain minority groups |
| Coalition governments | Yes |
| Elections | Every four years |
| Voter eligibility | Citizens aged 18 or older |
| Election day | Holiday |
| Absentee ballots | No |
| Voting location | Only on Israeli soil |
| Party financing | Based on the number of council seats won |
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What You'll Learn
Israel's multiparty system
Israel operates as a liberal democracy without a written constitution. Instead, it has a series of Basic Laws that outline the principles of the state. Israel's multiparty system is a proportional representation system, where parties are rewarded with a number of seats proportional to the number of votes received. This means that a party needs just 3.25% of the vote to gain representation in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
The Knesset has 120 seats, and a majority of 61 seats is required to control the government. However, no single party has ever won the 61 seats necessary for a majority, resulting in a "fragmented legislature". This means that Israeli governments are typically led by coalitions of several political parties.
The formation of a coalition government is a complex process that involves legislative agendas, political ambitions, expediency, and personal relationships. The Israeli President determines which party leader will attempt to form a coalition, usually the leader of the party with the most seats. This leader then has 42 days to negotiate with other parties to form a coalition government. The small parties can have a disproportionate influence on the coalition-building process, as they are often needed to reach a majority.
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Coalition governments
Israel operates under a proportional representation system, with 120 seats in its parliament, the Knesset. To get representation in parliament, a party needs to win a minimum of 3.25% of the vote. While the number of votes required to enter parliament is low, no party has ever won the 61 seats necessary for a majority. This results in a ["fragmented legislature"], with a multitude of smaller parties holding significant influence.
Because of this, all Israeli governments are coalition governments, formed between several political parties. The Israeli President determines which leader has the chance to develop a coalition government, usually the leader of the party receiving the most seats. This leader then has 42 days to negotiate a coalition with the other parties. The coalition is then presented and voted on in a vote of confidence by the other members of the Knesset.
Smaller parties can have a strong influence disproportionate to their size. Due to their ability to act as kingmakers, smaller parties can use their status to block legislation or promote their own agenda, even contrary to the manifesto of the larger party in office.
Israel's three main political parties are Mapai/Alignment/Labor, Likud, and Kadima, although Kadima has only won a single election. Labor and Likud are the two biggest parties historically, but in recent years Labor has declined in influence, with the main opposition to Likud now coming from a centrist party called Blue and White, founded in 2019.
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Proportional representation
Israel operates under a proportional representation system. This means that the number of seats a party gets in the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) is proportional to the number of votes it receives. In other words, parties are rewarded with a number of seats that reflects their vote share.
To get representation in the parliament, a party needs to win at least 3.25% of the vote. This is called the electoral threshold. If a party does not meet this threshold, they may join forces with another party, and together they must meet the 3.25% threshold. This change in policy was implemented in 2014 and encouraged parties to run on joint tickets during the 2015 election.
The whole country is a single constituency, which encourages the formation of a large number of political parties, many with very specialized platforms. As a result, there are a lot of political parties in Israel, and no party has ever won the 61 seats necessary for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. This results in a "fragmented legislature", where there are many smaller parties and no dominant one.
After the elections, the Israeli President determines which leader has the best chance of forming a coalition government. This leader then has 42 days to negotiate a coalition with the other parties. The coalition is then presented and voted on in a vote of confidence by the other members of the Knesset.
Because they can often make or break the coalition, small parties have an outsized influence in Israeli politics. They can use their status to block legislation or promote their own agenda, even if it goes against the manifesto of the larger party in office.
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Election campaigns and voting
Israeli election campaigns are a lively affair, accompanied by vigorous debate on the issues. Israelis take a great interest in political affairs, including internal policy and foreign relations, and actively participate in the electoral process.
Israel has a parliamentary system, in which the head of the legislature is also the chief executive, i.e., the Prime Minister. The President of Israel is a largely ceremonial office. Israel's election system is a proportional representation system, in which parties are rewarded with a number of seats proportional to the number of votes received. This system uses a closed list, in which voters vote for a party, not a specific candidate. The whole country is a single constituency, which encourages the formation of a large number of political parties, many with very specialized platforms, and often advocating the tenets of particular interest groups.
Israel has many parties due to its great political, cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity. Parties can generally be broken down into left, right, and center, or representing certain minority groups such as Haredi Jews or Israeli Palestinians. For example, the Likud party, the party of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been known as Herut and Mahal at different points in Israeli history.
To get representation in the parliament, a party needs to win at least 3.25% of the vote. Whoever gets a majority of the Knesset (61 seats) gets control of the government. However, no party has ever won the 61 seats necessary for majority control, resulting in a "fragmented legislature". This means that Israeli governments are always coalitions between several political parties. Small parties have an outsized influence in Israeli politics due to their ability to act as kingmakers, blocking legislation or promoting their own agenda, even contrary to the manifesto of the larger party in office.
National elections to the Knesset are held once every four years, unless circumstances call for early elections. Every citizen aged 18 or older on election day is eligible to vote. Election day is a holiday to enable all to participate. Israeli law does not provide for absentee ballots, and voting takes place only on Israeli soil.
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The role of the Israeli President
Israeli politics operates under a proportional representation system, with the country acting as a single constituency. There are 120 seats in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, and a party needs to win 3.25% of the vote to gain representation. However, no party has ever won the 61 seats required for a majority, resulting in coalition governments.
The President of Israel is the head of state and is elected by the Knesset for a single seven-year term. The role is largely ceremonial and apolitical, with the power to pardon or commute prisoners, appoint the prime minister, and endorse ambassadors. The president also has discretionary functions, such as awarding medals and prizes, and sanctioning decisions of legitimate constitutional authorities.
The president's fundamental role is to "stand at the head of the State", representing Israel abroad and fostering national unity at home. They personify the Israeli state and guarantee the execution of the public will. The presidency is considered a national symbol that reinforces the core values of the state and gives a voice to the diversity of Israeli society.
After elections, the president determines which leader can form a coalition government, usually the leader of the party with the most seats. The prime minister-designate then has 42 to 45 days to negotiate a coalition, which is then voted on by the other members of the Knesset. The president can also call early elections if the Knesset is deadlocked.
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Frequently asked questions
National elections to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, are held once every four years, unless circumstances call for early elections.
In Israel, voters vote for a party, not a specific candidate. The head of the party that garners the most votes is then considered the prime minister and is tasked with forming a government.
Each party list in the local authority is entitled to receive funding based on the number of council seats it wins.
