As the Israeli Knesset elections draw near, with all 120 seats up for grabs, the fight for Israel’s future is about to begin. Israel’s right-wing government, led by long-standing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who for all but 18 months of the last 17 years has been the country’s Prime Minister, has become the most unpopular Netanyahu-led government in Israel’s history.
Held against the backdrop of the traumatic events of the 7th October 2023 and the subsequent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, and with Iran, this election will be a crucial factor in determining Israel’s future, the success of the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the prospect for a two-state solution to get back on track.
Israel’s proportional representation electoral system leads to numerous parties contesting elections, with outcomes hinged on nationwide party performances and the ensuing coalition negotiations that follow.
With growing anger towards Netanyahu’s government, Israel’s political spectrum has seen a resurgence of centrist and centre-left parties, with Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid, Yair Golan’s centre-left Democrats, and Naftali Bennett’s big-tent Bennett 2026 leading the charge for change.
LFI’s new policy paper explores the upcoming election, the domestic political backdrop, including the impact of the 7th October pogrom, the dramatic nature of Israel’s proportional representation system, and the key players and parties contesting the election.