List of political parties in Israel
's political system is based on proportional representation and allows for a multi-party system with numerous parties represented in the 120-seat Knesset.
A typical Knesset includes many factions represented. This is because of the low election threshold required for a seat–1 percent of the vote from 1949 to 1992, 1.5 percent from 1992 to 2003, 2 percent from 2003 to 2014, and 3.25 percent since 2015. In the 2015 elections, for instance, ten parties or alliances'' cleared the threshold, and five of them won at least ten seats. The low threshold, in combination with the nationwide party-list system, makes it all but impossible for a single party to win the 61 seats needed for a majority government. No party has ever won a majority of seats in an election, the most being 56, won by the Alignment grouping in the 1969 elections.
As a result, while only three parties have ever led governments, all Israeli governments have been coalitions comprising two or more parties.
Current parties
Parties represented in the Knesset
The following parties are represented following the March 2020 election:| Party | Leader | Seats | Ideology |
| Likud | Benjamin Netanyahu | 36 | Conservatism National conservatism National liberalism Economic liberalism Factions: Right-wing populism Revisionist Zionism Liberal conservatism |
| Yesh Atid-Telem | Yair Lapid, Moshe Ya'alon | 16 | Liberalism Social liberalism Liberal Zionism Two-state solution Liberal conservatism |
| Blue and White | Benny Gantz | 15 | Zionism Liberalism Social liberalism Environmentalism |
| Joint List | Ayman Odeh | 15 | Big tent |
| Shas | Aryeh Deri | 9 | Religious conservatism Populism Mixed economy Mizrahi ultra-Orthodox interests |
| United Torah Judaism | Yaakov Litzman | 7 | "Torah Judaism" Haredi Judaism Hasidic Judaism Orthodox Halacha Religious conservatism |
| Yisrael Beiteinu | Avigdor Lieberman | 7 | Revisionist Zionism Economic liberalism Nationalism Secularism Lieberman Plan Russian speakers' interests Right-wing populism |
| Yamina | Naftali Bennett | 6 | Religious nationalism |
| Labor Party | Amir Peretz | 3 | Social democracy Labor Zionism Two-state solution |
| Meretz | Tamar Zandberg | 3 | Social democracy Labor Zionism Secularism Green politics Two-state solution |
| Derekh Eretz | Yoaz Hendel, Zvi Hauser | 2 | Economic liberalism National liberalism |
| Gesher | Orly Levy | 1 | Social liberalism |
Other parties
The following parties do not have Knesset seats at present:- Ahrayut
- Ale Yarok
- Am Shalem
- Bible Bloc
- Brit Olam
- Da'am Workers Party, Organization for Democratic Action
- Dor
- Eretz Hadasha
- HaYisraelim
- Kadima
- Koah HaKesef
- Koah LeHashpi'a
- Lazuz
- Leader
- Lehem
- Lev LaOlim
- Man's Rights in the Family Party
- Magen Yisrael
- Meimad
- New Horizon
- New Right
- Or
- Otzma Yehudit
- Piratim-The Pirate Party of Israel
- Ihud Bnei HaBrit
- The Greens
- Telem
- Tzomet
- U'Bizchutan — founded in 2015 as an ultra-Orthodox Jewish women's party
- Yachad
- Yisrael Hazaka
- Yisrael HaMithadeshet
- Zehut
- Noam
Former parties
Parties formerly represented in the Knesset
Parties that failed to win seats in the Knesset
- Hatzohar—the original Revisionist Zionist party, disbanded after failing to cross the electoral threshold in the 1949 elections.
- Popular Arab Bloc—Arab satellite list that ran in the 1949 elections.
- Tafnit—ran in the 2006 elections.
- Women's Party—ran in the 1977 elections.
- Yamin Yisrael—broke away from Moledet, another right-wing party, prior to the 1996 elections, but failed to cross the electoral threshold.
Name changes
- Banai became Tehiya-Bnai, then Tehiya
- Emunim became Tkuma
- Equality in Israel-Panthers became the Unity Party
- Flatto-Sharon became Development and Peace
- Hitkhabrut became the Renewed Religious National Zionist Party, then Ahi
- Israel in the Centre became the Centre Party
- Meretz became Yachad, then Meretz-Yachad, then Meretz again
- Movement for Change and Initiative became Shinui
- Mizrachi-Hapoel HaMizrachi became the National Religious Front, then National Religious Party, then The Jewish Home
- National Responsibility became Kadima
- National Unity - National Progressive Alliance became Progressive National Alliance
- Parliamentary Group of Bronfman and Tsinker became Makhar, then the Democratic Choice
- Party for the Advancement of the Zionist Idea became the New Liberal Party
- Rafi – National List became Ometz
- Rakah became Maki
- Secular Faction became Hetz
- Social-Democratic Faction became the Independent Socialist Faction
- Shinui - Centre Party became Shinui - the Secular Movement, then Shinui - Party for the Secular and the Middle Class, but is generally known as Shinui
Zionist youth movements
- Betar
- Bnei Akiva
- Habonim Dror
- Hashomer Hatzair
- Magshimey Herut
- HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed
- Noar Avoda
- Noar Moledet
- Young Meretz and Meretz Youth
- Noar Meir and the Hilltop Youth