April_2019_Israeli_legislative_election

April 2019 Israeli legislative election

April 2019 Israeli legislative election

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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.

Quick Facts Turnout, Party ...

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

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

The table below lists the parliamentary factions represented in the 20th Knesset.

More information Name, Ideology ...
  1. Hatnua and the Labor Party ran as a joint list called the Zionist Union. Amir Peretz was elected as a member of Hatnua, but defected to Labor before the split.
  2. Ta'al ran as part of the Joint List and split off before the 2019 elections. Due to rotation agreements, one seat Ta'al initially held in the Knesset rotated to other factions of the Joint List.

Public expression of interest

Withdrawals

  • Tzipi Livni announced on 18 February 2019 that her Hatnua party would not contest the election.[36]
  • Left-wing activist Eldad Yaniv announced on 30 December 2018 that he would re-form his 2013 party named "Eretz Hadasha", which would have run in the upcoming election,[37] though Yaniv dropped out of the race following the revealing of the Gantz/Lapid joint list on 20 February 2019.[38]
  • The Green Leaf party announced on 20 February 2019 that it would not participate in the election.[39]
  • Haredi Women's College founder Adina Bar-Shalom had expressed interest in participating in the elections with her newly formed, but unregistered, party Ahi Yisraeli,[40][41] though the party announced its withdrawal on 26 February 2019.[42]
  • Yom-Tov Samia announced the withdrawal of B'Yahad on 4 March 2019.[43]
  • Eli Yishai announced the withdrawal of Yachad on 27 March 2019.[44]

Campaign

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

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

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

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 HadashTa'al alliance filed a complaint requesting the removal of 1,200 concealed cameras in polling places in Arab communities.[75][76] A judge overseeing the election ordered the concealed equipment removed.[75] The company that set up the cameras, Kaizler Inbar, bragged about its role in social media posts.[77]

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.[78][79]

Results

More information Party, Votes ...

Members of the Knesset who lost their seats

Aftermath

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.[81] 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.[82] 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.[83]

See also

Notes

    1. Kulanu is a centre to centre-right party that has expressed openness to serve in either a Likud- or Blue & White-led government.[71]
    2. Zehut is a right-wing libertarian party that has expressed openness to serve in either a Likud- or Blue & White-led government.[72]
    3. Blue & White has expressed its intention not to form a coalition with Ra'am-Balad or Hadash-Ta'al.[73]
    4. Gesher is a centre-left party that has expressed openness to serve in either a Likud- or Blue & White-led government.[74]

    References

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    2. Azulay, Moran (12 March 2018). "Meretz, Yesh Atid seek to dissolve the Knesset". Ynetnews. Ynet News. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
    3. "In last-minute deal, coalition okays compromise to dodge early elections". The Times of Israel. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
    4. "Israel defence minister resigns over Gaza". BBC News. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
    5. Marissa Newman. "As Liberman quits, looming draft law deadline puts Netanyahu under the gun". Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
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    7. Oren Liebermann. "Israel heading for early elections after turbulent week for Netanyahu". CNN. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
    8. "With Bader-Ofer method, not every ballot counts". The Jerusalem Post. 16 March 2014.
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    12. "United Torah Judaism and Shas sign vote-sharing agreement". Israel National News. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
    13. tzvimoshe. "Zehut Platform". Zehut. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
    14. "Zehut". en.idi.org.il. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
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    16. Israel, David (29 December 2018). "Bennett's, Shaked's 'New Right' Party to Challenge Netanyahu". Jewish Press. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
    17. Raoul Wootliff (20 February 2019). "Registering new party, YouTube star urges public to vote 'F**k'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
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    27. Wootliff, Raoul (28 April 2017). "Bennett wins sweeping victory in Jewish Home leadership race". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
    28. Hezki Baruch (3 January 2019). "The Jewish Home needs rehabilitation". Israel National News. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
    29. Lahar Harkov (14 January 2019). "Smotrich hopes to head religious-Zionist bloc after big win over Ariel". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
    30. Hezki Baruch (21 February 2019). "'Union of the Right-Wing Parties' submits Knesset list". Israel National News. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
    31. Tibon, Amir (22 February 2019). "Prominent Jewish Group Changes Course, Denounces Far-right Party Courted by Netanyahu". Haaretz. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
    32. Lis, Jonathan (8 February 2019). "Despite Plunge in Polls, Israel's Labor Not Rushing to Join Meretz". Haaretz. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    33. Lis, Jonathan (13 January 2016). "Likud Calls Off Leadership Vote: Netanyahu to Remain Party Head Through 2023". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
    34. Gil Hoffman (25 December 2018). "Likud sets Feb 5 date for primary". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
    35. "Voting irregularities surface in Likud primaries results". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
    36. Hoffman, Gil (22 March 2018). "Meretz voters elect Tamar Zandberg as new leader". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
    37. Elad Benari (14 February 2019). "Gilon and Rozin win Meretz primaries". Israel National News. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
    38. Eliran Tal (30 January 2019). "אלו תוצאות הפריימריז של מפלגת זהות". Channel 20 News Israel. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
    39. "Kulanu minister says party does not rule out joining Gantz-led coalition". Times of Israel. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
    40. Lahav Harkov (17 March 2019). "The Feiglin phenomenon". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
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    42. "Knesset Member, Eitan Cabel". knesset.gov.il. The Israel Knesset. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
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    44. "President officially taps Netanyahu to form next government". The Times of Israel. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.

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