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Israel's political system is based on proportional representation, and allows for a multi-party system, with numerous parties represented in the 120-seat Knesset.

A typical Knesset includes many factions represented. This is because of the low election threshold required for a seat – 1 percent of the vote from 1949 to 1992, 1.5 percent from 1992 to 2003, 2 percent from 2003 to 2014, and 3.25 percent since 2015. In the 2015 elections, for instance, ten parties or alliances cleared the threshold, and five of them won at least ten seats. The low threshold, in combination with the nationwide party-list system, makes it all but impossible for a single party to win the 61 seats needed for a majority government. No party has ever won a majority of seats in an election, the most being 56, won by the Alignment grouping in the 1969 elections (the Alignment had briefly held a majority of seats before the elections, following its formation in January 1969).

As a result, while only four parties (or their antecedents) have ever led governments, all Israeli governments, as of 2023, have been coalitions comprising two or more parties.

Current parties

Parties represented in the Knesset

The following parties are represented following the 2022 election:

Party or alliance Ideology Symbol Leader Knesset Status
Likud [a] מחל
م‌ح‌ل
Benjamin Netanyahu
32 / 120
Government
Yesh Atid פה
ف‌ه
Yair Lapid
24 / 120
Opposition
Shas [a] שס
ش‌س
Aryeh Deri
11 / 120
Government
National
Unity
Blue and White Israel Resilience Party כן
ك‌ن
Benny Gantz
8 / 120
Government
Mafdal – Religious Zionism [a] Religious Zionism ט
ط
Bezalel Smotrich
7 / 120
Government
United
Torah
Judaism
[a]
Agudat Yisrael ג
ج
Moshe Gafni
7 / 120
Government
Degel HaTorah
Otzma Yehudit [a] Kahanism
Ultranationalism
Itamar Ben-Gvir
6 / 120
Government
Yisrael Beiteinu ל
ل
Avigdor Lieberman
6 / 120
Opposition
United Arab List עם
ع‌م‎
Mansour Abbas
5 / 120
Opposition
Hadash–
Ta'al
Hadash
( Maki)
ום
و‌م‎
Ayman Odeh
5 / 120
Opposition
Ta'al
Labor Party אמת
أ‌م‌ت
Merav Michaeli
4 / 120
Opposition
New Hope
Gideon Sa'ar
4 / 120
Opposition
Noam [a] Avi Maoz
1 / 120
Government
  1. ^ a b c d e f Part of the national camp.

Other parties

The following parties do not have Knesset seats at present:

Former parties

Parties formerly represented in the Knesset

Party First Knesset Last Knesset Notes Ideology
Agriculture and Development 2nd 4th Arab satellite list Israeli Arab interest
Ahi 16th 17th Breakaway from the National Religious Party, joined the National Union alliance (2006–2008), merged into Likud Religious Zionism
Ahdut HaAvoda 2nd 5th Merged into the Labor Party Labor Zionism
Ahva 9th 9th Breakaway from the Democratic Movement
Alignment 6th 12th Became the Labor Party Labor Zionism
Aliya 14th 14th Breakaway from Yisrael BaAliyah
Arab Democratic Party 11th 13th Breakaway from the Alignment, merged into the United Arab List Israeli Arab interests
Arab List for Bedouin and Villagers 8th 8th Arab satellite list; merged into the United Arab List (1977) Israeli Arab interests
Atid 13th 13th Breakaway from Yiud Liberalism
Balad 14th 24th Arab political party Palestinian nationalism
Black Panthers 12th 12th Breakaway from Hadash
Centre Party 14th 15th Breakaway from Likud, Tzomet and Labor Party
Cooperation and Brotherhood 4th 7th Arab satellite list Israeli Arab interest
Cooperation and Development 6th 6th Arab satellite list; merger of Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, demerged soon after Israeli Arab interest
Dash 9th 9th Disbanded into the Democratic Movement, Shinui, and Ya'ad
Democratic Choice 15th 15th Breakaway from Yisrael BaAliyah, merged into Meretz-Yachad
Democratic List for Israeli Arabs 2nd 3rd Arab satellite list Israeli Arab interest
Democratic Movement 9th 9th Emerged from the break-up of Dash
Development and Peace 9th 9th
Druze Faction 6th 6th Breakaway from Cooperation and Brotherhood, merged into Progress and Development
Faction independent of Ahdut HaAvoda 2nd 2nd Breakaway from Mapam, merged into Mapai
Fighters' List 1st 1st
Free Centre 6th 8th Breakaway from Herut in 6th Knesset, breakaway from Likud in 8th Knesset
Gahal 5th 7th Became Likud
General Zionists 1st 4th Merged into the Liberal Party
Gesher 13th 15th Breakaway from Likud, merged back into Likud
Gesher – Zionist Religious Centre 10th 10th Breakaway from National Religious Party, merged back into NRP
Geulat Yisrael 10th 10th Breakaway from Agudat Yisrael
HaOlim 16th 16th Breakaway from Shinui, merged into Yisrael Beiteinu
Hapoel HaMizrachi 2nd 2nd Merged into the National Religious Party
Hebrew Communists 1st 1st Breakaway from Maki, merged into Mapam
Herut 1st 5th Merged into Gahal
Herut – The National Movement 14th 15th Breakaway from Likud, joined National Union alliance, ran unsuccessfully in the following two elections and merged back into Likud Revisionist Zionism
HaTzeirim 14th 14th Breakaway from the Centre Party, merged into Shinui
Independent Liberals 5th 9th Breakaway from the Liberal Party, merged into the Alignment
Independent Socialist Faction 8th 8th Breakaway from Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement
Jewish–Arab Brotherhood 6th 6th Breakaway from Progress and Development, merged into Cooperation and Brotherhood
The Jewish Home 18th 23rd Dissolved on 20 August 2023, Merged into National Religious Party–Religious Zionism Religious Zionism
Justice for the Elderly 17th 17th Breakaway from Gil, merged back into Gil
Kach 11th 11th Party banned Religious Zionism, Kahanism
Left Camp of Israel 9th 9th
Left Faction 2nd 2nd Breakaway from Mapam
Lev 15th 15th Breakaway from the Centre Party, merged into Likud
Liberal Party 4th 5th Merged into Gahal
Maki (original) 1st 7th Merged into Moked
Mapai 1st 5th Merged into the Labor Party
Mapam 1st 12th Merged into Meretz
Mekhora 14th 14th Breakaway from Tzomet, merged into Moledet
Meri 6th 7th Originally named HaOlam HaZeh – Koah Hadash (until 1973)
Mizrachi 2nd 2nd Merged into the National Religious Party
Moked 7th 8th Merged into the Left Camp of Israel
Morasha 11th 11th
Moria 12th 12th Breakaway from Shas
Movement for the Renewal of Social Zionism 10th 10th Breakaway from Telem
National Home 16th 16th Breakaway from the Secular Faction
National List 7th 9th Merged into Likud
National Religious Party 3rd 17th Disbanded when The Jewish Home formed Religious Zionism
New Liberal Party 12th 12th Breakaway from Likud
New Way 15th 15th Breakaway from the Centre Party
Noy 16th 16th Breakaway from One Nation, merged into Kadima
Ometz 9th 11th Breakaway from Likud, merged into Telem, broke away again, merged into Likud
One Israel (1980) 9th 9th Breakaway from Likud
One Israel 15th 15th Joint list of Labor Party, Meimad and Gesher
One Nation 14th 16th Merged into the Labor Party
Poalei Agudat Yisrael 2nd 9th
Progress and Development 4th 8th Arab satellite list; merged into the United Arab List (1977)
Progress and Work 2nd 3rd Arab satellite list
Progressive List for Peace 11th 12th
Progressive National Alliance 15th 15th Breakaway from the United Arab List
Progressive Party 1st 4th Merged into the Liberal Party
Rafi 5th 6th Breakaway from Mapai, merged into the Labor Party
Ratz 8th 12th Merged into Meretz
Religious Torah Front 3rd 4th Broke up into Agudat Yisrael and Poalei Agudat Yisrael
Secular Faction 16th 16th Breakaway from Shinui
Sephardim and Oriental Communities 1st 2nd Merged into the General Zionists
Shinui 9th 16th Majority of representatives split to form Secular Faction
Shlomtzion 9th 9th Merged into Likud
Tami 10th 11th Breakaway from the National Religious Party, merged into the Likud
Tehiya 9th 12th Breakaway from Likud
Telem 9th 10th Breakaway from Likud
The Right Way 17th 17th Breakaway from Justice for the Elderly
The Third Way 13th 14th Breakaway from the Labor Party
Tkuma 14th 17th Breakaway from the National Religious Party, joined the National Union alliance in 1999, disbanded in 2008. Religious Zionism
Tzalash 16th 16th Breakaway from Shinui
United Arab List (1977) 8th 9th Merger of the Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers and Progress and Development (not related to contemporary United Arab List)
United Religious Front 1st 1st Broke up into Agudat Yisrael, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi
Unity for Peace and Immigration 12th 12th Breakaway from the Alignment, merged into Likud
Unity Party 9th 9th Breakaway from Dash and the Left Camp of Israel
WIZO 1st 1st WIZO incorporated the Union of Hebrew Women for Equal Rights in Eretz Israel ( he), also known as the Women's Union, which had won seats in the Old Yishuv elections.
Ya'ad 9th 9th Emerged from the break-up of Dash
Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement 8th 8th Merger of Ratz and one other MK, split into Ratz and the Independent Socialist Faction
Yachad 11th 11th Merged into the Alignment
Yemenite Association 1st 2nd Merged into the General Zionists but broke away later
Yisrael BaAliyah 14th 16th Merged into Likud
Yiud 13th 13th Breakaway from Tzomet

Parties that failed to win seats in the Knesset

Name Letter Political position Notes
Hatzohar ג Right-wing Original Revisionist Zionist party, disbanded after failing to cross the electoral threshold in the 1949 elections.
Popular Arab Bloc ת Left-wing Arab satellite list that ran in the 1949 elections. Affiliated with Mapam
Tafnit פ Centre Ran in the 2006 elections.
Women's Party נס Centre-left to Left-wing Ran in the 1977 elections.
Yamin Yisrael יד Right-wing Broke away from Moledet, another right-wing party, prior to the 1996 elections, but failed to cross the electoral threshold.
The Arab List - The Center צח Centre Arab satellite list that ran in the 1955 elections. Affiliated with General Zionists

Name changes

The following parties changed their names

Zionist youth movements

Name Meaning Movement Association Notes
Betar League of Joseph Trumpeldor Revisionist Likud Historically associated with Herut, and now Likud.
Bnei Akiva Sons of Akiva Religious The Jewish Home Historically associated with Mafdal, and now The Jewish Home.
Habonim Dror The Builders of Freedom Labor Labor Party Associated with the Labor Zionist movement, and now unofficially with the Israeli Labor Party.
Hashomer Hatzair The Young Guard Labor Meretz Associated with the left faction of Labor Zionist, historically associated with Mapam, and now unofficially with Meretz.
HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed The Working and Learning Youth Labor Labor Party Associated with the Labor Zionist movement, Histadrut, and now unofficially with the Israeli Labor Party.
Meretz Youth Meretz Youth Labor Meretz Youth wing of Meretz (under 18).
Noar HaAvoda Labor Youth Labor Labor Party Young-wing of the Israeli Labor Party (under 18).
Noar HaIhud HaLeumi National Union Youth Religious Religious Zionist Youth wing of the Religious Zionist Party.
Noar HaGvaot Hilltop Youth Religious Otzma Yehudit Historically associated with Kach, and its various successor parties.
Noar Yesh Atid Yesh Atid Youth Liberal Yesh Atid Youth wing of Yesh Atid (under 18).
HaMahanot HaOlim The Immigrants Camps Labor None Associated with the Labor Zionist movement.
HaNoar HaTzioni The Zionist Youth Liberal None Historically associated with the General Zionists.
Ariel Lion of God Religious Religious Zionist Split from Bnei Akiva, unofficially associated with Religious Zionist Party.
HaNoar HaDati HaOved VeHaLomed The Religious Working and Studying Youth Religious None Founded in 1952, historically associated with Hapoel HaMizrachi.
Noar HaLikud [ he] The Likud Youth Revisionist Likud Youth wing of Likud (under 18).
Young Meretz Young Meretz Labor Meretz Young-wing of Meretz (18-35).

See also

References

  1. ^ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (2 August 2022). "Promising to pursue Netanyahu, libertarian rebel MK Avidar announces own party". The Times of Israel.
  2. ^ "Rappeh, A New Israeli Political Party Against the Lockdowns". The Jewish Press. 15 February 2021.
  3. ^ Wootliff, Raoul (2 January 2019). "Former defense chief Ya'alon launches new political party, Telem". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  4. ^ Margit, Maya (22 July 2022). "New Israeli party focused on high living costs hopes to win youth vote". Jerusalem Post.
  5. ^ Krule, Miriam (21 January 2015). "Ultra-Orthodox Women in Israel Launch Their Own Political Party". Slate. Retrieved 28 June 2015.

External links