The Democrats (Israel)

The Democrats
הדמוקרטים
ChairYair Golan
Founders
  • Yair Golan
  • Tomer Reznik
Founded18 March 2024 (2024-03-18)
Merger of
HeadquartersTel Aviv, Israel[1]
Membership (2026)112,376[2]
Ideology
Political positionCentre-left[5] to left-wing[4]
European affiliationParty of European Socialists (observer)
International affiliation
Colours  Blue
Sloganהאומץ לשנות באמת
('The courage to truly change')
Knesset
4 / 120
Election symbol
אמת
Website
democrats.org.il
A "Democrats Won't Give Up on Israel" sign on a fence at a house in Nesher

The Democrats (Hebrew: הדמוקרטים, romanized: HaDemokratim, officially: The Democrats Party – Founded by the Labor Movement, Hebrew: מפלגת הדמוקרטים – מיסודה של תנועת העבודה, romanized: Mifleget HaDemokratim – Miyesoda shel Tnu'at Ha'Avoda),[8] is a social democratic and Zionist political party in Israel, formed by the merger of the centre-left Israeli Labor Party and the left-wing Meretz party in July 2024. It is led by Yair Golan, who led the Labor Party prior to the merger and served as an MK for the Democratic Union before joining Meretz. The Democrats describes itself as "the political home of the liberal-democratic camp in Israel",[9] and as a part of what Golan calls the "Zionist left".[10]

History

Background

In the 2022 Israeli legislative election, the left-wing Meretz party won 3.16% of the vote failing, for the first time, to pass the electoral threshold (3.25%) required to qualify for seats in the Knesset, while the Labor Party just managed to pass, with 3.69% of the vote, winning only four seats, its worst ever performance in terms of popular vote.[11] Labor leader Merav Michaeli was criticized for having refused to enter into an electoral pact with Meretz as the party's loss contributed to Benjamin Netanyahu's victory in the election.[12]

Negotiations began between Labor and Meretz following the 2022 election, with Meretz party secretary general Tomer Reznik and former Meretz MK Michal Rozin heading negotiations on behalf of their party and Labor MKs Gilad Kariv and Naama Lazimi in charge of the negotiations for Labor, with Yair Golan joining the negotiations later.[13][14]

Polling conducted throughout 2023 and in 2024, in the months prior to Labor's leadership election, suggested that in the 2026 Israeli legislative election Labor may fail to pass the threshold and be shut out of the Knesset, while Meretz was projected to narrowly pass the threshold and win four seats. Polls taken in June prior to the merger agreement projected that if the parties were to run together, they would win more than ten seats.[15][16]

Golan launched his leadership campaign for Labor in early March 2024 on a platform of uniting Labor, Meretz, and other organizations.[17] He announced the formation of "The Democrats" on 18 March 2024, citing a need for a "democratic, free, broad-based, [and strongly Zionist] party", as an alternative to the Netanyahu government, and called for an early Knesset election.[18] Golan was elected Labor leader in a "landslide victory" on 28 May 2024.[19]

Merger

On 30 June, the two parties jointly announced that they had agreed to a merger.[13] Under the merger agreement, there will be one Meretz representative in every four spots on the new party's electoral list, as well as on the party bodies, and there will also be representation for Meretz's municipal factions.[20] Golan has said that the party aims to be a "broad home for the liberal-democratic public in Israel".[4] Golan will receive two seats in the top ten slots.[21] The representation agreement will be in effect only for the next election; the party's electoral slate and members of representative bodies will be chosen by party primaries. The agreement designated Labor Party leader Yair Golan as leader and chairman of the new party.[13]

A convention of delegates from Labor and Meretz and of the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests approved the merger on 12 July 2024 in Tel Aviv.[22][23] Under the agreement, Meretz and Labor continue as separate corporate and budgetary entities, and their factions in the Histadrut, municipal councils, and other bodies outside the Knesset will not merge at this stage, but will cooperate.[22] Despite the merger, members of The Democrats continue to be identified in the 25th Knesset as members of the Israeli Labor Party because Ofir Katz, the chairman of the Knesset House Committee, and other members of the government coalition sitting on the committee, refused to agree to formally rename the Knesset faction in February 2025.[24]

The party announced in late May 2026 that its members had voted to "ratify" the agreement at a 31 May meeting in Tel Aviv.[25] This also included setting aside the sixth, eighth and fourteenth seats on the party's 2026 electoral list for Meretz members.[26]

Joining by protest leaders and activists

Golan announced in January 2026 that numerous protest leaders, including Ami Dror, Moshe Radman, and Gaby Lasky, had joined the party.[27] The following month, Omri Ronen, one of the leaders of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, also joined the party.[28] In May 2026, Golan announced that Moran Zer Katzenstein, founder of Women Building an Alternative (Bonot Alternativa), had joined the party.[29] In June 2026, it was announced that prominent protest leader Nava Rozolyo joined the party.[30]

Policies

Character of the nation-state

The party supports repealing the Nation State Bill, a Basic Law that enshrines Israel's status as a Jewish state, on the grounds that it is discriminatory towards non-Jews.[31][32]

Israel–Palestine conflict

The party supports a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Yair Golan states The Democrats is the only Zionist party which opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.[33] Golan said the Palestinian Authority would be integral to governing Gaza the "day after".[34] The party agreement mentions that "rebuilding Gaza is an Israeli interest".[31] Golan also opposed the occupation and settlement of the Gaza Strip, saying "it will cost us in hostages and soldiers' blood".[35] The party has several Arab-Israeli prominent members, such as Ilhab Shalian and Somaya Bashir.[36][37]

Judiciary

The party opposes the 2023 Israeli judicial reform. The party's merger agreement states: "We will fight for a full and substantial democracy ... which will include protection of individual rights and minority rights ... we will uphold the full separation of powers, prevent abuses by government institutions, and safeguard the judicial independence."[31]

Economy

The party supports social democratic policies, such as affordable housing, equal opportunities, welfare state, strengthening of trade unions, and opposition to privatization of public sectors such as healthcare and education.[31]

Composition

Leaders

Leader Took office Left office
Yair Golan 12 July 2024 Incumbent

Knesset members

Knesset Members Seats
25th (2024–present) Merav Michaeli, Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, Efrat Rayten[b]
4 / 120

Electoral list

On 20 June 2026, the Democrats held an online primary election to select the party's electoral list for the 2026 Israeli legislative election. All registered party members were eligible to vote for between six and eight candidates from a field of 51. Of the party's 112,376 registered members, approximately 97,000 participated in the primary. Yair Golan, who was elected party leader in 2024, was guaranteed first place on the list and was therefore not included in the primary election.[38] It was reported that the turnout of the primary election reached a "record 86 percent."[39]

Election results

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/− Government
2026

See also

Left-liberal alliances & parties:

Israel
World

Notes

  1. ↑ The Democrats were founded by the merger of two labor Zionist parties, Israeli Labor Party and Meretz, but The Democrats define themselves as "liberal-democratic Zionist", not officially "labor Zionist".[4]
  2. ↑ The Democrats' members sit in the 25th Knesset as members of the Israeli Labor Party.[24]

References

  1. ↑ Karmel, Ariela (30 November 2025). "A defiant Yair Golan says he can lead the left out of oblivion by redrawing the map". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  2. ↑ Golan, Yair (14 July 2026). "100,000 דמוקרטים ורק התחלנו!(100,000 Democrats and we've only just begun!)" (in Hebrew). הדמוקרטים. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Gallindoss, Alan (1 July 2024). "Israel's Left-Wing Parties Labor and Meretz Unite: The Democrats Emerge to Challenge Netanyahu's Government". Jewish Business News. Retrieved 22 May 2025. Reznik envisions The Democrats as a social democratic party that will champion both social issues and security concerns while promoting peace.
  4. 1 2 3 Sokol, Sam (30 June 2024). "Labor and Meretz merge into a united "liberal-democratic Zionist party": The Democrats". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 22 May 2025. In a joint statement, the new left-wing party said that the merger was "not a 'technical bloc,' but rather a historic process that produced, finally, one large and united party, a liberal-democratic Zionist party that will be a political home for a large part of the Israeli population."
  5. ↑ Graham-Harrison, Emma; Kierszenbaum, Quique (20 May 2025). "Israel still blocking aid for Gaza despite promise to lift siege, says UN". The Guardian. Two days after Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was lifting the siege of Gaza, Israel is still blocking food from reaching starving Palestinians, the UN has said, as the leader of the country's centre-left Democrats party said his country was becoming a pariah nation that "kills babies as a hobby".
  6. ↑ "Members – Socialist International". Socialist International. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  7. ↑ "Parties & Organisations". Progressive Alliance. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  8. ↑ העבודה, מפלגת. "תוצאות משאל על שינוי שם מפלגת העבודה לדמוקרטים". הבמה הרעיונית של מפלגת העבודה (in Hebrew). Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "אודות – הדמוקרטים". הדמוקרטים (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  10. ↑ ""הדמוקרטים": יאיר גולן השיק מסגרת פוליטית חדשה". Makor Rishon (in Hebrew). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "תוצאות האמת של הבחירות לכנסת ה-25". Central Elections Committee (in Hebrew).
  12. ↑ Skolnik, Ron. "INSIGHTS: Can a Labor-Meretz Merger Reinvigorate the Israeli Left?". Israel Horizons. Partners for Progressive Israel. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "העבודה ומרצ הגיעו להסכם על איחוד וייקראו מפלגת "הדמוקרטים"". Haaretz. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  14. ↑ Sales, Ben (30 June 2024). "Israel's Labor and Meretz parties merge into new left-wing alliance called the Democrats". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Sokol, Sam (27 May 2024). "'A political corpse': Tuesday primary could mark revival of ailing Labor party". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  16. ↑ Liel, Daphna (24 June 2024). "סקר חדשות 12: מפלגת ימין חדשה – הגדולה ביותר; בנט מתחזק בהתאמה לראשות הממשלה". N12 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  17. ↑ Breuer, Eliav (7 March 2024). "Yair Golan launches campaign to lead Labor, Left". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  18. ↑ Kraiem, Leon (18 March 2024). "'A strong Zionist alternative': Yair Golan announces new political camp". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  19. ↑ Sokol, Sam (28 May 2024). "Yair Golan wins landslide victory in Labor primary with promise to unite the left". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  20. ↑ "Meretz, Labor Party sign agreement to merge parties under new party name 'The Democrats'". The Jerusalem Post. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  21. ↑ Azulay, Moran (30 June 2024). "Meretz, Labor Party merge as Israeli left unites, forming The Democrats". Ynet. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  22. 1 2 Breuer, Eliav (11 July 2024). "Labor, Meretz delegates to approve merger in Tel Aviv convention". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  23. ↑ Shalev, Tal (12 July 2024). "With an overwhelming majority, Meretz and Labor approve merge, becoming the Democrats". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  24. 1 2 Rubin, Bentzi; Breuer, Eliav (25 February 2025). "Coalition denies Labor Party's bid to change name to The Democrats". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  25. ↑ Sokol, Sam (31 May 2026). "Left-wing Democrats party ratifies merger of Labor and Meretz factions at party conference". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  26. ↑ Hauser Tov, Michael (31 May 2026). "Democrats Party Approves Left-wing Merger of Meretz, Labor Ahead of Elections". Haaretz. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  27. ↑ Barsky, Anna (6 January 2026). "Israeli protest leaders to join forces with Democrats in next election, Yair Golan announces". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  28. ↑ Neev, Keshet (16 February 2026). "Social activist Omri Ronen joins The Democrats Party ahead of 'fateful' Israel elections". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  29. ↑ Karmel, Ariela (4 May 2026). "Women's rights activist Moran Zer Katzenstein joins Golan's Democrats party". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
  30. ↑ "Who is Nava Rozolyo? Anti-Netanyahu Protest Activist Joins 26th Knesset Race". JFeed. 3 June 2026. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 4 Israeli Labor Party; Meretz. "הסכם איחוד פוליטי" [Political union agreement] (PDF) (in Hebrew). pp. 2–3 – via Walla.
  32. ↑ "יאיר גולן, שנה כיוון, דבר שלום". מחסוםווטש (in Hebrew). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  33. ↑ McKernan, Bethan (12 August 2024). "'I'm not sure Israel is a democratic state any more': Yair Golan's mission to save his country". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  34. ↑ Rose, Emily (11 June 2024). "Hero of Oct. 7 aims to revive Israel's moribund left". Reuters. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  35. ↑ "גולן תוקף: "כיבוש הרצועה בפועל יעלה לנו בדם-חיי חטופים וחיילים"". Ice (in Hebrew). 5 May 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  36. ↑ "Ilhab Shalian".
  37. ↑ Karmel, Ariela (9 February 2026). "Activist Somaya Bashir to run for Democrats' slate, calls for Arab-Jewish partnership". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  38. ↑ Neev, Keshet (20 July 2026). "Democrats announce Knesset slate ahead of elections, MK Lazimi takes second spot after Golan". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  39. ↑ Karmel, Ariela (20 July 2026). "Naama Lazimi wins No. 2 spot after Yair Golan on Democrats' electoral slate". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
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