| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Knesset / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
22 January 2013 |
| Purpose of elections |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Yisrael Beitenu coalition lost 11 seats but remained the largest political force, winning 31 of the 120 seats at stake. The coalition's election campaign began with Yisrael Beitenu leader, Mr. Avigdor Lieberman's resignation as Foreign Minister after being indicted for fraud.
The major surprise was the emergence of the Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) party led by former TV presenter, Mr. Yair Lapid, which took 19 seats. While the outgoing Prime Minister pledged to form "as broad a coalition as possible", Mr. Lapid stated that his party would only join a government that was committed to reviving the peace process with the Palestinians.
The Labour Party - led by former TV and radio commentator, Ms. Shelly Yachimovich - and Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) came in third and fourth, taking 15 and 12 seats respectively. Habayit Hayehudi, which held only 3 seats in the previous legislature, rejects the notion of an independent Palestinian state. Two ultra-orthodox parties - Shas and the United Torah Judaism - followed with 11 and 7 seats. The remaining seats went to six parties which took between two and six seats each.
A record 26 women (up from 21) were elected. Four parties - Likud (without Yisrael Beytenu), Labour Party, Habayit Hayehudi and Meretz - had set aside specific slots for female representation on their lists while the lists of Shas and the United Torah Judaism did not comprise any women. The 19th Knesset will also comprise 50 first-time members. |
Date of previous elections: 10 February 2009
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 15 October 2012
Timing of election: Early elections
Expected date of next elections: January 2017
Number of seats at stake: 120 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: Not available.
Percentage of women candidates: Not available.
Number of parties contesting the election: 32
Number of parties winning seats: 12
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 5 February 2013
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Likud Yisrael Beitenu) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 22 January 2013 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
5'656'705
3'834'136 (67.78%)
40'667
3'793'469 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Likud Yisrael Beitenu |
31
|
|
|
|
|
| Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) |
19
|
|
|
|
|
| Labour Party |
15
|
|
|
|
|
| Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) |
12
|
|
|
|
|
| Shas |
11
|
|
|
|
|
| United Torah Judaism (Yahadut Hatorah) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Hatenua (The movement) |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Meretz |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| United Arab List -Ta'al |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Hadash |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| National Democratic Alliance (Balad) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Kadima |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
93
27
22.50%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Parliament (31.01.2013, 27.08.2013)
http://knesset.gov.il/mk/eng/mkindex_current_eng.asp?view=3
http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections19/eng/list/results_eng.aspx |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
