The political framework of Israel

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Isaac HERZOG (since 7 July 2021)
Prime minister: Benjamin NETANYAHU (since 29 December 2022)

Next Election Dates

Presidential: June 2028
Parliament: October 2026

Main Political Parties

The Israeli political system is based on proportional representation. No party is in a position to assume power independently, so political groups often co-operate and form coalition governments. The political parties represented in the Parliament are:

- Likud: national liberal party, right-wing, nationalist
- Yesh Atid (There is Future): centre, liberal
- Zionist Union: centre-left
- National Unity: a political alliance made up of the Blue and White party and the New Hope party, centrist
- Shas: zionist, populist, conservatism
- United Torah Judaism: right-wing, conservatism, religious
- Otzma Yehudit: far-right, ultra-nationalist, anti-Arab
- Yisrael Beiteinu: conservatism, nationalism
- United Arab List (Ra'am): Arab political party, it is the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic movement
- Hadash-Ta'al: a joint list of the Ta'al party and Hadash political coalition, left-wing, endorses the two-state solution
- The Democrats: socail-democratic, formed by the merger of the centre-left Israeli Labor Party and the left-wing Meretz party in 2024
- Blue and White Israel Resilience Party: centrist, liberal Zionist party.

Executive Power

The President is the Head of the State and is elected by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, for a seven-year term. His/Her role is essentially ceremonial. The President chooses the leader of the party or majority coalition in the Knesset to attempt to form a government and exercise the functions of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister does not have a fixed four-year term; the duration depends on the stability of the government, as elections may be held earlier if the Knesset is dissolved. The Prime Minister is the head of the Government and holds the executive power, including the execution of the law and the management of the country's current affairs. The Cabinet is chosen by the Prime Minister before being approved by the Knesset.

Legislative Power

Legislative power in Israel is unicameral. The Knesset (parliament) consists of 120 members, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term. The Knesset can dissolve itself by passing a bill with a simple majority, which typically leads to early elections. A vote of no confidence, however, can result in the formation of a new government without dissolving the Knesset. The Prime Minister cannot dissolve or veto the Knesset. Israeli citizens have significant political rights, including voting rights, freedom of speech, and the ability to form political parties.