Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert says he heard it many times over his long political career that his nation was entering its most important elections ever.
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nation → say → elections
This time, he says, it’s true.
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it → say → ?
Like many Israelis, he believes the nation’s fundamental identity as a Jewish and democratic state is up for grabs when they vote on October 27.
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they → believe → October
“The crisis we are in today is the most threatening to the nature of what Israel was and what Israel is supposed to be that we have seen,” he says.
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he → suppose → that
Mark Sofer, a former Israeli ambassador to Australia, agrees: “These aren’t regular elections.
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These → agree → Australia
Monumental events have occurred since Israelis last voted in 2022.
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Israelis → occur → 2022
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a bid to weaken the country’s Supreme Court that drew hundreds of thousands of protesters to the streets.
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that → launch → streets
Then came the shock Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, the deadliest day in Israel’s history and its worst security failure, when more than 1200 people were killed.
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people → come → history
That was followed by Israel’s wars against Hamas in Gaza (which has killed an estimated 75,000 people), Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the theocratic regime in Iran.
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which → follow → Iran
Israel’s international standing has plummeted, including in traditionally friendly countries like Australia and the United States, the nation’s most important security partner.
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standing → plummet → Australia
Netanyahu – who has led Israel for most of the past 20 years and has been indicted on corruption charges – is desperately trying to remain in power.
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who → lead → power
His opponents are determined to consign him to history and start what they say will be a new era in Israeli politics.
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they → consign → politics
One of the reasons Netanyahu has been able to remain in power for so long is his mastery of the quirks of Israel’s particular electoral system, which is significantly different to Australia’s.
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which → remain → Australia
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age will be on-the-ground in Israel to cover this crucial moment in world history, one that will have reverberations around the world.
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that → cover → world
Here’s our guide to how the election will work.
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election → ’ → ?
What happens on election day?
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What → happen → day
Even so, turnout is usually high, reflecting the high levels of political engagement in society.
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turnout → reflect → society
In the last elections, 4.8 million of the country’s 6.8 million eligible voters showed up at the polls – a turnout rate of 71 per cent.
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million → show → cent
Even more people are expected to vote this year, reflecting the heightened stakes.
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people → expect → stakes
Unlike in Australia, where postal voting has become increasingly popular in recent elections, Israelis must vote in person on election day.
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Israelis → become → day
(Only those serving their nation overseas, like diplomats and defence personnel, can vote in advance by mail.)
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those → serve → mail
Israelis who live in settlements in the West Bank are allowed to vote in the elections but Palestinians in the West Bank are not.
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Palestinians → live → Bank
One similarity to Australia: voters use old-school paper ballots, with no electronic voting allowed.
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voters → use → voting
Voters elect members of the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset.
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Voters → elect → Knesset
It is what is known as a unicameral parliament, meaning it has only one chamber.
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it → know → chamber
The Knesset has 120 members, who are elected nationally based on a system of proportional representation.
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who → have → representation
Crucially, voters vote for party lists rather than individual candidates.
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voters → vote → lists
The parties that receive the most votes are rewarded with the most Knesset members, who are drawn from ordered lists of candidates submitted before election day.
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who → receive → day
For example, Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party won 23 per cent of the vote at the 2022 elections, more than any other party.
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party → win → party
On a proportional basis, this meant Likud was awarded 32 seats in the Knesset.
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Likud → mean → Knesset
The centrist Yesh Atid party won 18 per cent of the vote, receiving 24 seats.
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party → win → seats
The key number to aim for is the 61 seats required to form a government, though leaders prefer a more substantial buffer to create a more durable coalition.
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leaders → aim → coalition
It is possible to govern in minority, but such a government would be even more fragile.
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government → govern → minority
Crucially, parties must meet the threshold of 3.25 per cent to enter the Knesset.
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parties → meet → Knesset
If they don’t meet this minimum, the party’s votes go to waste.
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votes → meet → waste
This can have big implications for the election results.
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This → have → results
For example, two left-wing parties narrowly failed to cross the threshold in 2022, wasting nearly 290,000 anti-Netanyahu votes and helping him return to power.
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him → fail → power
This means it can be more effective for several smaller parties to run together on a joint list to maximise their vote share.
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parties → mean → share
Who is competing in these elections?
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Who → compete → elections
As is always the case in Israel, an eclectic array of parties is competing against each other.
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array → compete → other
…and 42 more, not listed.
The Aporia
