April 2019 Israeli legislative election explained

Country:Israel
Previous Election:2015
Next Election:Sep 2019
Election Date:9 April 2019
Seats For Election:All 120 seats in the Knesset
Majority Seats:61
Turnout:68.46% (3.88pp)
Party1:Likud
Percentage1:26.46
Last Election1:30
Seats1:35
Party2:Blue and White
Leader2:Benny Gantz
Percentage2:26.13
Last Election2:11
Seats2:35
Party3:Shas
Leader3:Aryeh Deri
Percentage3:5.99
Last Election3:7
Seats3:8
Party4:United Torah Judaism
Leader4:Yaakov Litzman
Percentage4:5.78
Last Election4:6
Seats4:8
Party5:Hadash–Ta'al
Leader5:Ayman Odeh
Percentage5:4.49
Last Election5:6
Seats5:6
Party6:Israeli Labor Party
Leader6:Avi Gabbay
Percentage6:4.43
Last Election6:19
Seats6:6
Party7:Yisrael Beiteinu
Leader7:Avigdor Lieberman
Percentage7:4.01
Last Election7:6
Seats7:5
Party8:URWP
Leader8:Rafi Peretz
Percentage8:3.70
Last Election8:8
Seats8:5
Party9:Meretz
Leader9:Tamar Zandberg
Percentage9:3.63
Last Election9:5
Seats9:4
Party10:Kulanu
Leader10:Moshe Kahlon
Percentage10:3.54
Last Election10:10
Seats10:4
Party11:Ra'am–Balad
Leader11:Mansour Abbas
Percentage11:3.33
Last Election11:7
Seats11:4
Prime Minister
Before Election:Benjamin Netanyahu
Before Party:Likud
Posttitle:Prime Minister after
After Election:Benjamin Netanyahu (caretaker government)
After Party:Likud

Early legislative elections were held in Israel on 9 April 2019 to elect the 120 members of the 21st Knesset. Elections had been due in November 2019, but were brought forward following a dispute between members of the current government over a bill on national service for the ultra-Orthodox population, as well as impending corruption charges against incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's Likud tied with Blue and White alliance of Benny Gantz, both winning 35 seats. The balance of power was held by smaller parties, with a majority being right-wing and religious parties that had previously sat in coalition with Likud, which would have allowed Netanyahu to form the next government.

Due to continuation of the disagreements over the national service of the ultra-Orthodox, a snap election was called, and was held on 17 September 2019.

Background

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman had opposed a draft law (supported by the ultra-Orthodox parties) which would allow full-time Torah students exemptions from serving in the IDF.[1] Meretz and Yesh Atid submitted a proposal on 12 March 2018 seeking the dissolution of the Knesset.[2] Early elections were averted at that point in time.[3]

Lieberman would eventually leave the government over the cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza.[4] [5] This leaves the governing coalition with 61 seats (out of 120 in total).[6] The Jewish Home announced on 16 November 2018 that it would leave the government, as Naftali Bennett (the head of the party) was not given Lieberman's former Defense Ministry post.[7] Reports were that Netanyahu would not be giving the post to Bennett and was to meet with other coalition leaders on 18 November to determine a date for early election.[8] However, after further discussion, Bennett decided to stay on as education minister, narrowly avoiding the collapse of the Netanyahu government again.[9] However, continued dysfunction over various issues, including military service for the ultra-Orthodox, caused parliament to dissolve and early elections to be called for 9 April 2019.[10] Had early elections not been called, the regularly-scheduled elections would have taken place seven months later, on 5 November 2019.

Electoral system

The 120 seats in the Knesset are elected by closed list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency. The electoral threshold for the election is 3.25%. In most cases, this implies a minimum party size of four seats, but on some occasions, a party can end up with three.[11]

While election day was on 9 April 2019, polls opened in embassies around the world on 28 March.[12]

Surplus-vote agreements

thumb|right|200px|Voting in the election day in a polling station in HaBiluyim Primary School in Ramat Gan.Two party lists can sign an agreement that allows them to compete for leftover seats as though they are running together on the same list. The Bader–Ofer method disproportionately favors larger lists, meaning that such an alliance is more likely to receive leftover seats than both of its comprising lists would be individually. If the alliance receives leftover seats, the Bader–Ofer calculation is then applied privately, to determine how the seats are divided among the two allied lists.[13] The following agreements were signed by parties prior to the election:

Parliament factions

See main article: List of political parties in Israel. The table below lists the parliamentary factions represented in the 20th Knesset.

NameIdeologySymbolPrimary demographicLeader2015 resultSeats at 2018
dissolution
Votes (%)Seats
LikudNational liberalism-Benjamin Netanyahu23.40%
LaborSocial democracy-Avi Gabbay18.67%
HatnuaLiberalism-Tzipi Livni
Joint ListBig tentIsraeli ArabsAyman Odeh10.54%
Ta'alArab nationalismIsraeli ArabsAhmad Tibi
Yesh AtidLiberalism-Yair Lapid8.81%
KulanuEconomic egalitarianism-Moshe Kahlon7.49%
Jewish HomeReligious Zionism
Religious conservatism		Modern Orthodox and
Chardal Jews		Rafi Peretz6.74%
ShasReligious conservatismSephardic and
Mizrahi Haredim		Aryeh Deri5.73%
United Torah JudaismReligious conservatismAshkenazi HaredimYaakov Litzman5.03%
Yisrael BeiteinuNationalism
Secularism		Russian-speakersAvigdor Lieberman5.11%
MeretzSocial democracy
Secularism		-Tamar Zandberg3.93%
New RightNational conservatism-Naftali Bennett,
Ayelet Shaked
Independent--Orly Levy

Public expression of interest

Withdrawals

Campaign

See main article: Party lists for the April 2019 Israeli legislative election. Some parties, like Likud, Labor, the Jewish Home, Zehut, and Meretz, have systems in which the leadership and most candidates on their lists are elected in primary elections.

Blue and White

Benny Gantz's Israel Resilience Party and Moshe Ya'alon's Telem unveiled its party slate on 19 February 2019.[45] Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party unveiled its party slate on 18 February 2019.[46] On 21 February 2019, the three parties agreed to run on a united list named Blue and White.[47]

Union of Right-Wing Parties

The Jewish Home held its leadership primaries on 27 April 2017; Naftali Bennett won with 80.3% of the vote, Yonatan Branski received 12.2%, and Yitzhak Zagha received 7.47%.[48] In the aftermath of the formation of the New Right, and Bennett's leaving, the Jewish Home cancelled its primaries.[49] Rafi Peretz was elected leader of the Jewish Home on 4 February.[50]

The Tkuma party held its leadership primaries on 14 January 2019; Bezalel Smotrich defeated Uri Ariel.[51]

On 14 February 2019, Jewish Home agreed to run on a joint list with the Tkuma party. Jewish Home leader Rafi Peretz headed the joint list, with Tkuma chair Bezalel Smotrich as the number two.[29] On 20 February 2019, they agreed to include Otzma Yehudit in their list, titled the Union of Right-Wing Parties.[30] [52] The inclusion of Otzma Yehudit prompted strong criticism.[53] [54] [55]

Labor

See also: 2019 Israeli Labor Party leadership election. The Labor Party held its leadership primaries on 10 July 2017; Avi Gabbay defeated Amir Peretz in the run-off, with Isaac Herzog being defeated during the first round of voting.[56] The party held primaries on 11 February 2019 to choose members for its slate.[57]

Likud

The Likud leadership primary election was originally scheduled for 23 February 2016 following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal,[58] and later cancelled by a party court on the basis that the Likud constitution did not require a vote when there was only one candidate.[59] [60] Likud held the primary for the rest of its list on 5 February 2019, which resulted in several of Netanyahu's rivals winning senior spots.[61] [62] Voting irregularities surfaced in the primary results. In some cases, specific candidates received more votes in some locales than the total number of ballots cast in those locales. The Likud party investigated the matter.[63] In the final results, Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein came in first place, followed by Yisrael Katz, Gilad Erdan, Gideon Sa'ar, and Miri Regev.[64]

On 28 February 2019, the Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, announced his intent to indict Prime Minister Netanyahu on three charges which include bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. These include trading legislation for favorable press coverage.[65]

Meretz

See also: 2018 Meretz leadership election.

Meretz held its leadership primaries on 22 March 2018; Tamar Zandberg won with 71% of the vote, Avi Buskila received 29%.[66] Meretz held its primary on 14 February 2019.[67]

Yisrael Beiteinu

Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu released its party slate on 19 February 2019.[68]

Zehut

The Zehut party held Israel's first open primaries on 29 January 2019, in which all Israeli voters (including those living abroad) were able to vote via a secure online website. About 12,000 people voted in these primaries, which determined the order of the candidates who won in the party's internal primaries in September 2017.[69] [70]

Opinion polls

See main article: Opinion polling for the April 2019 Israeli legislative election.

These graphs show the polling trends from the time Knesset candidate lists were finalized on 21 February, until Friday before election day (5 April).

If more than one poll was conducted on the same day, the graphs show the average of the polls for that date.

Blocs

Legend

Note: Political blocs do not necessarily determine the exact make-up of post-election coalitions.

Parties

Allegations of misconduct

The Hadash–Ta'al alliance filed a complaint requesting the removal of 1,200 concealed cameras in polling places in Arab communities.[71] [72] A judge overseeing the election ordered the concealed equipment removed.[71] The company that set up the cameras, Kaizler Inbar, bragged about its role in social media posts.[73]

Fake IDs were used in Herzliya, and some voting slips for Blue & White, Meretz, Likud, Zehut, and Yisrael Beiteinu disappeared in Petah Tikva.

Shas was criticized for giving out candles at polling stations.[74] [75]

Results

Members of the Knesset who lost their seats

PartyNameYear elected
Blue and White2013
GesherOrly Levy2009
KulanuTali Ploskov2015
Meirav Ben-Ari2015
Akram Hasson2016
Fentahun Seyoum2019
LaborMerav Michaeli2013
Omer Bar-Lev2013
Revital Swid2015
Haim Jelin2015
Michal Biran2013
Eitan Cabel1996[76]
Yael Cohen Paran2015
Saleh Saad2017
Leah Fadida2017
Nachman Shai2009
Moshe Mizrahi2018
LikudAyoob Kara2015
Yehuda Glick2016
Nurit Koren2015
Anat Berko2015
Yaron Mazuz2015
Avraham Neguise2015
Nava Boker2015
Meretz2017
New RightNaftali Bennett2013
Ayelet Shaked2013
Shuli Mualem2013
TzometOren Hazan2015
United Arab ListTalab Abu Arar2013
Said al-Harumi2017
Yisrael BeiteinuHamad Amar2009

Aftermath

See main article: 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis.

Leader of Blue and White faction Benny Gantz conceded, paving the way for incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to start talks with other parties to form a governing coalition.[77] On 15 and 16 April, leaders of all the parties who won seats in the Knesset met with President Reuven Rivlin to recommend a designated person to form a government. Netanyahu received recommendations from leaders representing 65 seats in the Knesset, whereas Gantz received recommendations from leaders representing only 45 seats in the Knesset. Leaders of the two Arab parties, representing 10 seats in the Knesset, declined to make any recommendation. Based on the recommendations he received, Rivlin designated Netanyahu to form the next governing coalition.[78] After a month of negotiations, Netanyahu's failure to form a government led to a 74 to 45 vote in the Knesset in favour of dispersing just after midnight on 29 May 2019. The new election was scheduled for 17 September 2019.[79]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Netanyahu to meet with Lieberman over coalition crisis. Ynetnews . 12 March 2018. Ynet News. 12 March 2018. Azulay . Moran .
  2. News: Meretz, Yesh Atid seek to dissolve the Knesset. Ynetnews . 12 March 2018. Ynet News. 12 March 2018. Azulay . Moran .
  3. Web site: In last-minute deal, coalition okays compromise to dodge early elections. 13 March 2018. The Times of Israel. 14 March 2018.
  4. News: Explained // Defense Minister Resigns, Firing First Salvo of Israeli Elections. The Timing Couldn't Be Worse for Netanyahu. Pfeffer. Anshel. 14 November 2018. Haaretz. 14 November 2018. en.
  5. News: Israel defence minister resigns over Gaza. 14 November 2018. BBC News. 14 November 2018. en-GB.
  6. News: As Liberman quits, looming draft law deadline puts Netanyahu under the gun. 14 November 2018. en-US. Times of Israel. Marissa Newman.
  7. News: Israel heads toward elections as Jewish Home says it will leave coalition. 16 November 2018. en-US. Times of Israel. Raoul Wootliff.
  8. News: Israel heading for early elections after turbulent week for Netanyahu. Oren Liebermann. CNN. 16 November 2018.
  9. News: Israeli Government Crisis Raises Fresh Doubts for U.S. Peace Plan. Felicia Schwartz. Dov Lieber. The Wall Street Journal. 19 November 2018. en-US.
  10. News: It's final: 20th Knesset dissolved, Israel heading to elections. Staff. 26 December 2018. Israel National News. 22 February 2019.
  11. News: With Bader-Ofer method, not every ballot counts. The Jerusalem Post. 16 March 2014.
  12. Israel in Ireland . IsraelinIreland . 1111235587749629954 . 28 March 2019 . Early voting ️is taking place today in #Israeli embassies around the world . H.E. Ophir Kariv and other Israelis working at the Embassy of #Israel in #Ireland are casting their vote! The elections take place in Israel on April 9th. #Israeltothepolls #Elections2019 #IsraElex19 https://t.co/n0CxCUKq0A . en . 16 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190507172233/https://twitter.com/IsraelinIreland/status/1111235587749629954 . 7 May 2019 . live.
  13. https://www.knesset.gov.il/lexicon/eng/seats_eng.htm The Distribution of Knesset Seats Among the Lists – the Bader-Offer Method
  14. News: Jewish Home signs vote sharing agreement with Likud. Israel National News. 20 February 2019. 20 February 2019.
  15. News: New Right unveils Knesset slate featuring equal representation for women. Times of Israel. 20 February 2019. 25 February 2019.
  16. News: Labor and Meretz sign vote sharing agreement. Israel National News. 25 February 2019. 25 February 2019.
  17. News: United Torah Judaism and Shas sign vote-sharing agreement. Israel National News. 6 March 2019. 6 March 2019.
  18. Web site: Ra'am-Balad and Hadash-Ta'al - Israel Elections - Jerusalem Post. www.jpost.com. 8 April 2019 . 10 April 2019.
  19. Web site: Zehut Platform. tzvimoshe. Zehut. en-US. 21 February 2019.
  20. Web site: Zehut. en.idi.org.il. 21 February 2019.
  21. Web site: Open primaries are good for all Israelis and good for Israel. The Jerusalem Post. 27 January 2019. 11 February 2019. Albert Levy.
  22. News: Israel . David . Bennett's, Shaked's 'New Right' Party to Challenge Netanyahu . 29 December 2018 . Jewish Press . 29 December 2018.
  23. Web site: Political Drama: Senior Israeli Ministers Launch New Right-wing Party. Haaretz. 30 December 2018. 30 December 2018.
  24. Web site: New 'centrist' Arab party registers ahead of elections. The Times of Israel. 3 January 2019. 3 January 2019.
  25. Web site: Despite possible indictments, ex-IDF general Gal Hirsch launches political party. The Times of Israel. 8 January 2019. 8 January 2019.
  26. Web site: Yom Kippur War vet who brought down government launches election campaign. The Times of Israel. 14 January 2019. 14 January 2019. Stuart Winer.
  27. Web site: Commando who saved Netanyahu's life 50 years ago sets up rival political party. The Times of Israel. 15 January 2019. 15 January 2019. Stuart Winer.
  28. News: Registering new party, YouTube star urges public to vote 'F**k'. Raoul Wootliff. The Times of Israel. 20 February 2019. 20 February 2019.
  29. Web site: Jewish Home and National Union to run together. Israel National News. 14 February 2019. 14 February 2019. Hezki Baruch.
  30. Web site: Jewish Home party votes overwhelmingly to merge with extremist Otzma Yehudit. The Times of Israel. en-US. 20 February 2019. Jacob Magid.
  31. Web site: MK Oren Hazan leaves Likud, heads Tzomet party. Israel National News. en. 18 February 2019. 18 February 2019. Hezki Baruch.
  32. News: Levy-Abekasis: No merger with Gantz after his 'weird, hallucinatory' behavior. The Times of Israel. 20 February 2019.
  33. News: Gantz loses out on Levy's Gesher, aims for merger with Lapid. The Jerusalem Post. 20 February 2019. Gil Hoffman.
  34. Web site: Gantz and Lapid to run together. Israel National News. 21 February 2019. 20 February 2019. Elad Benari.
  35. Web site: United Gantz-Lapid party to be called 'Blue and White'. The Times of Israel. 21 February 2019. 21 February 2019. Jacob Magid.
  36. Web site: Tearful Tzipi Livni quits politics. The Jerusalem Post. 18 February 2019. 20 February 2019. Gil Hoffman.
  37. Web site: Anti-corruption protest leader forms new party ahead of elections. The Times of Israel. 30 December 2018. 30 December 2018.
  38. Web site: Eldad Yaniv's Eretz Hadasha Party won't run in the election. Israel National News. 20 February 2019. 20 February 2019.
  39. News: Pro-marijuana legalization party to sit out elections. The Times of Israel. 20 February 2019.
  40. Web site: Adina Bar-Shalom registers new party, Ahi Yisraeli. The Jerusalem Post. 30 July 2018. Jeremy Sharon.
  41. Web site: Adina Bar-Shalom to head nascent Achi Israeli party . The Jerusalem Post. Gil Hoffman. 23 December 2018. 25 December 2018.
  42. Web site: Israeli Brother party will not run in the elections . Israel National News. 26 February 2019. 26 February 2019.
  43. Web site: B'yahad party won't run in upcoming Knesset elections . Israel National News. 4 March 2019. 4 March 2019.
  44. News: Eli Yishai's Yachad party drops out of election race, boosting right. Newman, Marissa. The Times of Israel. 27 March 2019. 28 March 2019.
  45. Web site: Israel Resilience: Full list of candidates. Mordechai. Sones. Israel National News. 19 February 2019. 21 February 2019.
  46. Web site: Lapid unveils Yesh Atid list, says unity with Gantz still 'on the table'. Raoul. Wootliff. The Times of Israel. 18 February 2019. 19 February 2019.
  47. Web site: Lapid-Gantz-Ya'alon list: 'Blue and White'. Israel National News. Staff. 21 February 2019. 21 February 2019.
  48. News: Bennett wins sweeping victory in Jewish Home leadership race. Wootliff, Raoul. The Times of Israel. 28 April 2017. 28 April 2017.
  49. News: The Jewish Home needs rehabilitation. Hezki Baruch. Israel National News. 3 January 2019. 3 January 2019.
  50. News: Beit Yehudi leader slams Shaked, Bennet: You don't abandon a home. The Jerusalem Post. 4 February 2019. 4 February 2019.
  51. News: Smotrich hopes to head religious-Zionist bloc after big win over Ariel. Lahar Harkov. The Jerusalem Post. 14 January 2019. 19 February 2019.
  52. Web site: 'Union of the Right-Wing Parties' submits Knesset list. Israel National News. Hezki Baruch. 21 February 2019. 21 February 2019.
  53. News: Prominent Jewish Group Changes Course, Denounces Far-right Party Courted by Netanyahu. Tibon. Amir. 22 February 2019. Haaretz. 22 February 2019. en.
  54. Web site: Jewish groups speak out against union of Bayit Yehudi with Otzma Party. The Jerusalem Post. 22 February 2019. Jeremy Sharon.
  55. Web site: AIPAC slams 'racist and reprehensible' extremist party wooed by Netanyahu. The Times of Israel. 22 February 2019. Staff. 22 February 2019.
  56. News: Israeli Labor Party Tries a New Leader: Gabbay, Self-Made Millionaire. Kershner, Isabel. The New York Times. 10 July 2017. 7 March 2018.
  57. News: Despite Plunge in Polls, Israel's Labor Not Rushing to Join Meretz. Lis, Jonathan. Haaretz. 8 February 2019. 8 February 2019.
  58. News: Lis. Jonathan. In Win for Netanyahu, Likud Votes for Early Primaries, Safeguarding His Leadership. Haaretz. 30 December 2015. en.
  59. News: Lis. Jonathan. Likud Calls Off Leadership Vote: Netanyahu to Remain Party Head Through 2023. 10 January 2018. Haaretz. 13 January 2016. en.
  60. News: Netanyahu declared Likud leader for seventh term. The Jerusalem Post. 14 January 2016.
  61. News: Edelstein takes top spot in Likud primaries, with Netanyahu rival Sa'ar in 4th. Wootliff, Raoul. The Times of Israel. 6 February 2019. 6 February 2019.
  62. News: Likud sets Feb 5 date for primary . Gil Hoffman. The Jerusalem Post. 25 December 2018. 3 January 2019.
  63. Web site: Voting irregularities surface in Likud primaries results. www.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 10 February 2019.
  64. Web site: Final Likud primary tally leaves top 5 as is, with no gain for PM's rival Sa'ar. The Times of Israel. en-US. 14 February 2019. 14 February 2019. Staff.
  65. News: Benjamin Netanyahu: What are the corruption allegations?. BBC News. 28 February 2019.
  66. News: Meretz voters elect Tamar Zandberg as new leader. Hoffman, Gil. The Jerusalem Post. 22 March 2018. 23 March 2018.
  67. News: Gilon and Rozin win Meretz primaries. Elad Benari. Israel National News. 14 February 2019. 14 February 2019.
  68. Web site: Liberman unveils Yisrael Beytenu candidates, leaves out veteran lawmakers. Alexander. Fulbright. The Times of Israel. 20 February 2019.
  69. News: With first open primaries, Moshe Feiglin's 'Zehut' looks for a public identity. Raoul Wootliff. The Jerusalem Post. 29 January 2019. 8 February 2019.
  70. News: אלו תוצאות הפריימריז של מפלגת זהות. Eliran Tal. Channel 20 News Israel. 30 January 2019. 8 February 2019.
  71. News: Likud admits deploying cameras at polling stations to monitor 'problem Arabs'. Times of Israel. 9 April 2019.
  72. News: Binyamin Netanyahu appears to have won a fifth term. The Economist. 10 April 2019.
  73. News: Israeli PR Firm Boasts About Lowering Voter Turnout With Hidden Cameras at Arab Polling Sites. 10 April 2019.
  74. Web site: Parties Furious over Reported Election Misdemeanours. The Jerusalem Post. 9 April 2019.
  75. Web site: AS IT HAPPENED: Israelis cast ballots for next PM in high-stakes national election. I 24 News. 9 April 2019.
  76. Web site: Knesset Member, Eitan Cabel . knesset.gov.il . The Israel Knesset . 9 May 2019.
  77. News: Netanyahu set for fifth term as Israel's leader as rival concedes defeat. Liebermann. Oren. 10 April 2019. CNN. 10 April 2019. en.
  78. News: President officially taps Netanyahu to form next government. 17 April 2019. The Times of Israel. 17 April 2019. en.
  79. News: Israel goes back to elections as Netanyahu fails to form coalition. 29 May 2019. The Jerusalem Post.

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