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Parties and Candidates

Israel Israel

PC001

Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question:What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s): f. Other
Comments: Since the Parties Law was passed in 1992, only a party, which has been legally registered with the Party Registrar, or an alignment of two or more registered parties, which have decided to run in the elections together, can present a list of candidates and participate in the elections According to the Parties Law (1992), a party is defined as a group of people who have come together in order to pursue legally political or social goals, and to bring about their representation in the Knesset. Since the passing of this law, there are clear regulations regarding the establishment of parties, their registration with the Parties Registrar, their institutions, assets, activities, finances, etc... The law also determines the limitations on a party's potential registration. The following prohibitions are included in these limitations: Any rejection (in the party's goals or activities) of the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish, democratic state. Any incitement to racism. Any support of the armed struggle of an enemy state or terrorist organization against the State of Israel Any hint of a cover for illegal activity. Only a party or parties are allowed to present a list of candidates to run for the Knesset.
Source: Dr. Susan Hattis Rolef, The Knesset Research and Information Center Central Elections Committee, Parties, Lists, Factions, and Movements: https://bechirot21.bechirot.gov.il/election/English/About/Pages/ElectionsTerms_eng.aspx The Knesset, Elections for the Knesset: http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_beh.htm#1
Verified: 2019/05/02
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
PC003

Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question:What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s): a. Age
b. Citizenship
j. Other
Comments: Every Israeli citizen, who on the day of the submission of a list of candidates that includes his name, is twenty one years old or over, is entitled to be elected to the Knesset, unless a court of law has deprived him of this right by virtue of any law, or that he has been sentenced, in a final verdict, to actual imprisonment for a period of over three months, and on the day of the submission of the list of candidates seven years have not yet gone by since he finished serving his term of imprisonment, or if he has been convicted of a serious terror offence, or a serious security offence, as laid down by law, has been sentenced, in a final verdict, to actual imprisonment for a period of over seven years of imprisonment, and on the day of the submission of the list of candidates 14 years have not yet gone by since he finished serving his term of imprisonment - unless the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee has determined that the crime for which he was convicted, under the circumstances of the case, does not carrymoral turpitude.
Source: IPU Parline Database: http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2155.htm BASIC LAW: THE KNESSET (5718 - 1958) Art.6: https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/activity/Documents/BasicLawsPDF/BasicLawTheKnesset.pdf
Verified: 2019/05/02
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
PC008

Independent candidates
Question:Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s): a. Neither in presidential nor legislative elections
Comments: The Knesset elects the President. Only lists that include at least one party can run in elections. There is also a 2% qualifying threshold, so a single member has no chance of being elected in the Israeli system of proportional representation.
Source: Dr. Susan Hattis Rolef, The Knesset Research and Information Center
Verified: 2015/03/15
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
PC012

Public funding of parties
Question:Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s): b. Direct
c. Indirect
Comments: A new party group is entitled to one financing unit per seat won by the party group in the elections, plus an amount equal for one financing unit. For other parties, the financing received is in accordance with the number of seats the party group won in the outgoing Parliament, plus the number of such seats won in the incoming Parliament, divided by two and added by an amount equal to one financing unit.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns" http://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/israel.php (Section B) International IDEA, Political Finance Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/country-view/144/55
Verified: 2019/06/13
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
PC015


Question:What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s): c. Based on current legislative representation
e. Other
Comments: New parties get an advance on the basis of what they would get if they had a single member in the outgoing Knesset. It this is not achieved, the funding has to be paid back. A new party group is entitled to one financing unit per seat won by the party group in the elections, plus an amount equal for one financing unit. For other parties, the financing received is in accordance with the number of seats the party group won in the outgoing Parliament, plus the number of such seats won in the incoming Parliament, divided by two and added by an amount equal to one financing unit.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns" http://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/israel.php International IDEA, Political Finance Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/country-view/144/55
Verified: 2019/06/13
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
PC017


Question:Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: There are strict rules on funding of political parties. Individual contributions to general elections are permitted as long as they originate from donors who are Israeli citizens and residents above the age of eighteen, and are not anonymous. This is based on an express prohibition against anonymous donations, and on a requirement that contributions may only be made by a voter as defined in the Elections Law
Source: International IDEA, Political Finance Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/country-view/144/55 http://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/israel.php
Verified: 2019/06/13
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
The data on this page is continuously updated. Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.