Jump to content

The Democrats (Israel): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
add citation
Removed WP:PRIMARY sources
 
(40 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
{{Use American English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
| name = The Democrats
| logo_size = 225
| native_name = {{Script/Hebrew|הדמוקרטים}}
| colorcode = {{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}
| logo = The Democrats led by Yair Golan.svg <!-- provisional logo -->
| logo = The Democrats led by Yair Golan.svg <!-- provisional logo -->
| logo_size = 225
| leader = [[Yair Golan]]
| name = The Democrats
| colorcode = {{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}
| founders = {{ubl|[[Yair Golan]]|Tomer Reznik}}
| native_name = {{Script/Hebrew|הדמוקרטים}}
| leader1_title = Chair
| founders = {{ubl|[[Yair Golan]]|[[Tomer Reznik]]}}
| leader1_name = [[Yair Golan]]
| leader1_title =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2024|07|12}}
| leader1_name =
| merger = [[Israeli Labor Party]]<br>[[Meretz]]
| leader2_title =
| leader2_name =
| merged =
| headquarters = [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2024|07|12}}
| youth_wing =
| merger = [[Israeli Labor Party]]<br>[[Meretz]]
| merged =
| membership =
| membership_year =
| headquarters = [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]]
| ideology = [[Social democracy]]<ref>{{Cite web |work=Jewish Business News |last=Gallindoss |first=Alan |date=2024-07-01 |title=Israel's Left-Wing Parties Labor and Meretz Unite: The Democrats Emerge to Challenge Netanyahu's Government |url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2024/07/01/israels-left-wing-parties-labor-and-meretz-unite-the-democrats-emerge-to-challenge-netanyahus-government/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |language=en-US}}</ref><br/>[[Zionism]]<ref name="toi30june"/>
| youth_wing =
| position = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://asiaelects.com/israel/ | title=Israel }}</ref> to
| membership =
[[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]<ref name="toi30june">{{cite news |title=Labor and Meretz merge into a united "liberal-democratic Zionist party": The Democrats |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/labor-and-meretz-merge-into-united-liberal-democratic-zionist-party-the-democrats/ |access-date=6 December 2024 |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=30 June 2024|first=Sam|last=Sokol}}</ref>
| membership_year =
| seats1_title = [[Knesset]]
| ideology = [[Social Democracy]] [[Secularism]]<ref name="dems">{{cite web |title= הבית הדמוקרטי|trans-title=Our Vision|lang=he |url=https://democrats.org.il/about/ |website=The Democrats |access-date=21 September 2024}}</ref>{{bsn|date=September 2024}}{{Primary source inline|date=September 2024}}<br>[[Zionism]]<ref name="toi30june"/>
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|4|120|{{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}}}
| blank1_title = Policies
| colours = {{colour box|{{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}|border=silver}} Blue
| blank1 = [[Two-state solution]]<ref>{{cite news |title='I'm not sure Israel is a democratic state any more': Yair Golan's mission to save his country |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/12/im-not-sure-israel-is-a-democratic-state-any-more-yair-golans-mission-to-save-his-country |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=12 August 2024}}</ref>
| symbol =
| seats1_title = [[Knesset]]
| website = {{URL|https://democrats.org.il/}}
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|4|120|{{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}}}
| country = Israel
| colours = {{colour box|{{Party color|The Democrats (Israel)}}|border=silver}} Blue
| symbol =
| website = {{URL|https://democrats.org.il/}}
| country = Israel
}}
}}

{{Politics of Israel}}
{{Politics of Israel}}


'''The Democrats''' ({{lang-he|הדמוקרטים|translit=HaDemokratim}}) is a [[Zionism|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 chaired by [[Yair Golan]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Rachel |date=23 September 2024 |title=Ex-IDF General, The Democrats Leader Yair Golan Visiting U.K., Set to Meet With PM Starmer |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-23/ty-article/.premium/ex-idf-general-the-democrats-leader-yair-golan-visiting-u-k-set-to-meet-with-pm-starmer/00000192-1fd8-da14-a1de-dffd44400000 |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref> who was the Labor Party leader prior to the merger and previously served as an MK for the [[Democratic Union (Israel)|Democratic Union]], before joining Meretz.
'''The Democrats''' ({{langx|he|הדמוקרטים|translit=HaDemokratim}}) is a [[Zionism|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]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Rachel |date=23 September 2024 |title=Ex-IDF General, The Democrats Leader Yair Golan Visiting U.K., Set to Meet With PM Starmer |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-23/ty-article/.premium/ex-idf-general-the-democrats-leader-yair-golan-visiting-u-k-set-to-meet-with-pm-starmer/00000192-1fd8-da14-a1de-dffd44400000 |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref> who was the Labor Party leader prior to the merger and previously served as an MK for the [[Democratic Union (Israel)|Democratic Union]], before joining Meretz.


== History ==
== History ==
Line 41: Line 37:
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 3.6% of the vote, winning only four seats, its worst ever performance in terms of popular vote. Labor leader [[Merav Michaeli]] was criticised for having refused to enter into an [[electoral pact]] with Meretz as the party's loss contributed to the anti-Netanyahu bloc's failure to win enough seats to stop [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] from forming a government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skolnik |first1=Ron |title=INSIGHTS: Can a Labor-Meretz Merger Reinvigorate the Israeli Left? |url=https://www.progressiveisrael.org/insights-labor-meretz-merger/ |website=Israel Horizons |publisher=Partners for Progressive Israel |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref>
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 3.6% of the vote, winning only four seats, its worst ever performance in terms of popular vote. Labor leader [[Merav Michaeli]] was criticised for having refused to enter into an [[electoral pact]] with Meretz as the party's loss contributed to the anti-Netanyahu bloc's failure to win enough seats to stop [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] from forming a government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skolnik |first1=Ron |title=INSIGHTS: Can a Labor-Meretz Merger Reinvigorate the Israeli Left? |url=https://www.progressiveisrael.org/insights-labor-meretz-merger/ |website=Israel Horizons |publisher=Partners for Progressive Israel |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref>


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<ref name="haaretz-hebrew">{{cite news |date=30 June 2024 |title=העבודה ומרצ הגיעו להסכם על איחוד וייקראו מפלגת "הדמוקרטים" |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politi/2024-06-30/ty-article/00000190-69f4-d01f-abbe-7dfc89b40000 |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref> (following his actions on [[7 October attack|7 October]] when he rescued several people).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sales|first1=Ben |title=Israel's Labor and Meretz parties merge into new left-wing alliance called the Democrats |url=https://www.jta.org/2024/06/30/israel/israels-labor-and-meretz-parties-merge-into-new-left-wing-alliance-called-the-democrats |access-date=1 July 2024 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=30 June 2024}}</ref>
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<ref name="haaretz-hebrew">{{cite news |date=30 June 2024 |title=העבודה ומרצ הגיעו להסכם על איחוד וייקראו מפלגת "הדמוקרטים" |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/politi/2024-06-30/ty-article/00000190-69f4-d01f-abbe-7dfc89b40000 |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=[[Haaretz]]}}</ref> (following his actions on [[7 October attack|7 October]] when he rescued several people).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sales|first1=Ben |title=Israel's Labor and Meretz parties merge into new left-wing alliance called the Democrats |url=https://www.jta.org/2024/06/30/israel/israels-labor-and-meretz-parties-merge-into-new-left-wing-alliance-called-the-democrats |access-date=1 July 2024 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=30 June 2024}}</ref>


[[Opinion polling for the next Israeli legislative election|Polling]] conducted throughout 2023 and in 2024, in the months prior to Labor's leadership election, suggested that in the [[next 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, while 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.<ref>{{cite news |title='A political corpse': Tuesday primary could mark revival of ailing Labor party |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-political-corpse-tuesday-primary-could-mark-revival-of-ailing-labor-party/ |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=27 May 2024|first=Sam|last=Sokol}}</ref><ref name=Ch12Jun24>{{cite news| author=Daphna Liel| title=סקר חדשות 12: מפלגת ימין חדשה - הגדולה ביותר; בנט מתחזק בהתאמה לראשות הממשלה| lang=he| url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-politics/2024_q2/Article-c00d1cc3bea4091027.htm| website=N12| access-date=26 June 2024| date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
[[Opinion polling for the next Israeli legislative election|Polling]] conducted throughout 2023 and in 2024, in the months prior to Labor's leadership election, suggested that in the [[next 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, while 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.<ref>{{cite news |title='A political corpse': Tuesday primary could mark revival of ailing Labor party |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-political-corpse-tuesday-primary-could-mark-revival-of-ailing-labor-party/ |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=27 May 2024|first=Sam|last=Sokol}}</ref><ref name=Ch12Jun24>{{cite news| author=Daphna Liel| title=סקר חדשות 12: מפלגת ימין חדשה - הגדולה ביותר; בנט מתחזק בהתאמה לראשות הממשלה| lang=he| url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-politics/2024_q2/Article-c00d1cc3bea4091027.htm| website=N12| access-date=26 June 2024| date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
Line 50: Line 46:
On 30 June, the two parties jointly announced that they had agreed to a merger.<ref name="haaretz-hebrew" />
On 30 June, the two parties jointly announced that they had agreed to a merger.<ref name="haaretz-hebrew" />


According to a press release, the merger is "not a '[[technical group|technical bloc]]', but rather a historical process that produces, 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". 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.<ref name="Sokol28May" /> Golan has said that the party aims to be a "broad home for the [[Liberal democracy|liberal-democratic]] public in Israel".<ref name="toi30june">{{cite news |title=Labor and Meretz merge into a united "liberal-democratic Zionist party": The Democrats |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/labor-and-meretz-merge-into-united-liberal-democratic-zionist-party-the-democrats/ |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=30 June 2024|first=Sam|last=Sokol}}</ref> Golan will receive two seats in the top ten slots.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Azulay|first1=Moran |title=Meretz, Labor Party merge as Israeli left unites, forming The Democrats |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byunvgydc|access-date=1 July 2024 |work=[[Ynet]]|date=30 June 2024}}</ref> The representation agreement will only be in effect for the next election, after which the party's electoral slate and members of representative bodies will be chosen by party [[Partisan primary|primaries]]. The agreement designated Labor Party leader Yair Golan as leader and chairman of the new party.<ref name="haaretz-hebrew" />
According to a press release, the merger is "not a '[[technical group|technical bloc]].'" 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.<ref name="Sokol28May" /> Golan has said that the party aims to be a "broad home for the [[Liberal democracy|liberal-democratic]] public in Israel".<ref name="toi30june"/> Golan will receive two seats in the top ten slots.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Azulay|first1=Moran |title=Meretz, Labor Party merge as Israeli left unites, forming The Democrats |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byunvgydc|access-date=1 July 2024 |work=[[Ynet]]|date=30 June 2024}}</ref> The representation agreement will only be in effect for the next election, after which the party's electoral slate and members of representative bodies will be chosen by party [[Partisan primary|primaries]]. The agreement designated Labor Party leader Yair Golan as leader and chairman of the new party.<ref name="haaretz-hebrew" />


=== Approval of the merger ===
=== Approval of the merger ===
Line 56: Line 52:


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.<ref name="tjp11july"/>
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.<ref name="tjp11july"/>

==Policies==
The party supports a [[two-state solution]] to the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]].<ref>{{cite news |title='I'm not sure Israel is a democratic state any more': Yair Golan's mission to save his country |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/12/im-not-sure-israel-is-a-democratic-state-any-more-yair-golans-mission-to-save-his-country |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=12 August 2024}}</ref>


== Leaders ==
== Leaders ==
Line 66: Line 65:
|[[File:Yair Golan 2020.jpg|103x103px]]
|[[File:Yair Golan 2020.jpg|103x103px]]
|[[Yair Golan]]
|[[Yair Golan]]
| 2024
| 12 July 2024
| ''Incumbent''
|
|-
|-
|}
|}
Line 85: Line 84:


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Labor-Gesher]]
* [[Democratic Union (Israel)]]
* [[Labor-Gesher-Meretz]]
* [[Labor-Gesher-Meretz]]


Line 104: Line 103:
[[Category:Political parties established in 2024]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2024]]
[[Category:Zionist political parties in Israel]]
[[Category:Zionist political parties in Israel]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in Israel]]
[[Category:Zionism]]
[[Category:Zionism]]
[[Category:Secularism in Israel]]
[[Category:Secularism in Israel]]
[[Category:Liberal parties in Israel]]

Latest revision as of 05:35, 1 January 2025

The Democrats
הדמוקרטים
ChairYair Golan
Founders
Founded12 July 2024; 5 months ago (2024-07-12)
Merger ofIsraeli Labor Party
Meretz
HeadquartersTel Aviv, Israel
IdeologySocial democracy[1]
Zionism[2]
Political positionCentre-left[3] to left-wing[2]
Colours  Blue
Knesset
4 / 120
Website
democrats.org.il

The Democrats (Hebrew: הדמוקרטים, romanizedHaDemokratim) is a 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,[4] who was the Labor Party leader prior to the merger and previously served as an MK for the Democratic Union, before joining Meretz.

History

[edit]

Background

[edit]

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 3.6% of the vote, winning only four seats, its worst ever performance in terms of popular vote. Labor leader Merav Michaeli was criticised for having refused to enter into an electoral pact with Meretz as the party's loss contributed to the anti-Netanyahu bloc's failure to win enough seats to stop Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government.[5]

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[6] (following his actions on 7 October when he rescued several people).[7]

Polling conducted throughout 2023 and in 2024, in the months prior to Labor's leadership election, suggested that in the next 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, while 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.[8][9]

Golan launched his leadership campaign for Labor in early March 2024 on a platform of uniting Labor, Meretz and other organisations[10] and announced the formation of The Democrats on 18 March 2024, laying out his vision for an alternative to the Netanyahu government and calling for an early Knesset election.[11] Golan was elected Labor leader in a "landslide victory" on 28 May 2024.[12]

Announcement of the merger

[edit]

On 30 June, the two parties jointly announced that they had agreed to a merger.[6]

According to a press release, the merger is "not a 'technical bloc.'" 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.[12] Golan has said that the party aims to be a "broad home for the liberal-democratic public in Israel".[2] Golan will receive two seats in the top ten slots.[13] The representation agreement will only be in effect for the next election, after which 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.[6]

Approval of the merger

[edit]

A convention made up of delegates from both Labor and Meretz and also representatives of the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests approved the merger on 12 July 2024 in Tel Aviv.[14][15]

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.[14]

Policies

[edit]

The party supports a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[16]

Leaders

[edit]
Leader Took office Left office
Yair Golan 12 July 2024 Incumbent

Knesset members

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

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 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 5 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Sokol, Sam (30 June 2024). "Labor and Meretz merge into a united "liberal-democratic Zionist party": The Democrats". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Israel".
  4. ^ Fink, Rachel (23 September 2024). "Ex-IDF General, The Democrats Leader Yair Golan Visiting U.K., Set to Meet With PM Starmer". Haaretz. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  5. ^ Skolnik, Ron. "INSIGHTS: Can a Labor-Meretz Merger Reinvigorate the Israeli Left?". Israel Horizons. Partners for Progressive Israel. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "העבודה ומרצ הגיעו להסכם על איחוד וייקראו מפלגת "הדמוקרטים"". Haaretz. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Daphna Liel (24 June 2024). "סקר חדשות 12: מפלגת ימין חדשה - הגדולה ביותר; בנט מתחזק בהתאמה לראשות הממשלה". N12 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  10. ^ Breuer, Eliav (7 March 2024). "Yair Golan launches campaign to lead Labor, Left". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  11. ^ Kraiem, Leon (18 March 2024). "'A strong Zionist alternative': Yair Golan announces new political camp". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  12. ^ a b 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.
  13. ^ Azulay, Moran (30 June 2024). "Meretz, Labor Party merge as Israeli left unites, forming The Democrats". Ynet. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b Breuer, Eliav (11 July 2024). "Labor, Meretz delegates to approve merger in Tel Aviv convention". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  15. ^ Shalev, Tal (12 July 2024). "With an overwhelming majority, Meretz and Labor approve merge, becoming the Democrats". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  16. ^ "'I'm not sure Israel is a democratic state any more': Yair Golan's mission to save his country". The Guardian. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
[edit]