Israel
Parliament
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Parliamentary system
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Unicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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Yes
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
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09 Apr 2019
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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29 Apr 2019
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Early elections
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
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120
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Candidates
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Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
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40
Notes: 40 lists.
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
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6,339,729
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Voters
Number of people who actually voted
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4,340,253
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Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
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68.5%
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and the Blue and White coalition (co-led by former army chief Benny Gantz and former Minister of Finance Yair Lapid) won 35 seats each in the early elections (see note 1) to the 120-member Knesset. Nine other parties took fewer than eight seats each. Mr. Netanyahu started coalition talks with five parties, which together would control a total of 65 seats.
On 17 April, President Reuven Rivlin officially tasked Mr. Netanyahu - who was seeking a record fifth term as Prime Minister - with forming a new government by 29 May. However, the coalition talks reached an impasse over a bill on conscription that would set quotas for drafting ultra-Orthodox seminary students into the army, and the new government could not be formed within the deadline. On 30 May, the Knesset voted to dissolve itself in view of fresh elections to be held on 17 September.
In December 2018, Prime Minister Netanyahu had called early elections, citing differences in the coalition government over the conscription bill. At that time, his government had only a one-seat majority, after Defence Minister Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party had withdrawn from the coalition in November citing disagreement with the Prime Minister’s Gaza policy.
During the election campaign, the major parties focused on security issues and relations with Palestine. Likud called for tougher security policies. The Blue and White coalition called for pursuing peace with the Palestinians while maintaining Israeli security interests.
On 28 February, the attorney general announced his intention to indict Mr. Netanyahu in three corruption cases. On 25 March, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing the Golan as Israeli territory (see note 2). Two days before the elections, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank if he won another term.
Note 1:
The four-year term of the outgoing legislature (the 20th Knesset, following early elections in March 2015) was scheduled to end in October - November 2019, in accordance with article 36 of the Basic Law: The Knesset (1958).
Note 2:
The Golan was Syrian territory until 1967, when it was occupied by Israel during the Six-day War and later annexed.
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Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
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11
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Percentage of parties winning seats
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
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27.5%
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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29.2%
Parties or coalitions winning seats
| Political group | Total |
|---|---|
| Likud | 35 |
| Blue and White | 35 |
| Shas | 8 |
| United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) | 8 |
| Hadash-Ta'al | 6 |
| Israeli Labor | 6 |
| United Right | 5 |
| Yisrael Beiteinu | 5 |
| Kulanu Chaired by Moshe Kahlon | 4 |
| Meretz | 4 |
| Ra'am–Balad | 4 |
Members elected, by sex
- Women Directly Elected
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29
- Other notes on the elections
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The bill for the dissolution of the 20th Knesset was adopted on 26 December 2018 but the term of 20th Knesset continued until 29 April 2019 in accordance with article 37 of the Basic Law, which stipulates “The outgoing Knesset shall continue to hold office until the convening of the incoming Knesset.”.
- Sources
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Knesset (01.05.2019)
https://votes21.bechirot.gov.il/nationalresults
Central Elections Committee (https://bechirot.gov.il/)
BBC
BBC Monitoring
Reuters
The Times of Israel
Haaretz
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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91
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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29
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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24.2%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
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49
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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40.8%
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
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30 Apr 2019
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Male)
Date of birth: 05 Aug 1958 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Likud
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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30 Apr 2019