The Israel Election Process Explained

A reader asked for a breakdown on the Israeli election process. As promised, here it is:

The Israeli election process begins many months before the election starts. Like in most democratic governments, the process starts with a primary. In the primary, each party chooses a list of candidates. Some parties have an election while some use an appointment process. The candidates with the most votes end up at the top of the list and decreases as they move down the list.

For examples of lists in this election, see my posts on the major parties elections and lists:

• Likud
• Labour
• Yisrael Beiteinu
• Meretz

Sometimes there is internal party politics that impacts the list. Likud had a well publicized controversy this year involving Moshe Feiglin, a Likud politician. Only registered party members can vote in their party primary. Generally the party chair gets the first spot on the list.

After the lists are finalized, campaigning begins. In direct democracies, such as the United States, a specific person runs for each seat in the Senate. Israel, like the United Kingdom, has a parliamentary system. In the election each voter simply chooses a party.

At the end of the election, the vote percentages correlate to the number of seats given in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. If Likud were to get 50% of the votes, they would be given roughly 60 seats of the 120 in the Knesset. To gain Knesset seats, there is a minimum number of votes. In the last election, Ale Yarok, the marijuana party, was just shy of the necessary votes to gain seats in the government.

After the election, the leading party chair is given the opportunity to form a coalition. In the last election the leading party chair was Ehud Olmert of Kadima. I am hoping that Benjamin Netanyahu will be the leading party chair after the next election.

A coalition is very important for a leading party, as without a coalition they do not have a majority for legislative votes. Parties need a coalition of at least 61 of the 120 seats. Parties generally join up with parties that have similar philosophies. As a “thank you” for joining the coalition, the top members of the smaller party will be given a ministerial position in the cabinet. For example, Ehud Barak, the Labor party chair, was made Defense Minister in a deal with Kadima.

If a party cannot form a coalition, several options are possible. The current election is a result of Tzipi Livni’s inability to form a coalition when Ehud Olmert resigned as Kadima chair. In the past early elections and unity governments have taken place.

When a coalition is formed, the new government takes over. The leading party chair is made Prime Minister and runs the country. Each cabinet minister takes the reigns over their particular agency.