{
  "id": 13415626,
  "title": "The electoral threshold is distorting Israel's democracy - time to rethink it - opinion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/the-electoral-threshold-is-distorting-israels-democracy-time-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T13:16:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-911041"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israel should reconsider its electoral threshold. Raising it to 3.25% in 2014 aimed to reduce fragmentation and improve governability, but had unintended consequences. Critics claimed the change was partly designed to make it harder for small Arab parties to enter the Knesset. Instead, the Arab parties united and performed better, forming the Joint List in 2015 with 13 seats, the third-largest faction. The threshold's intended focus was not achieved, and a new issue arose in 2022. Labor leader Merav Michaeli and former prime minister Yair Lapid were close to crossing the threshold together, but disagreements led to separate runs. Meretz garnered 3.16% and fell short of entering, while Balad received 2.9%. Together, their votes amounted to more than 6%, equivalent to over seven Knesset seats. Despite the close vote, Netanyahu's coalition of four parties won 64 seats, while the opposing eight parties received 56. Critics argue the threshold helped Netanyahu, as the electorate's near-even split produced a majority for him. Changing the threshold could impact more than Meretz, as it did in the 2022 election. The threshold fails to curb the influence of individual legislators, as demonstrated by coalition whip Idit Silman leaving in April 2022, reducing Bennett's majority to 60 seats. Another MK, Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, also left the coalition, briefly reducing it to 59 seats. These events show that the threshold cannot fully prevent destabilizing influence, which should be a concern in Israel's democratic system.",
  "summary": "Israel’s electoral threshold was designed to improve governability. Instead, it can distort election results and leave voters without representation.",
  "key_points": [
    "Israel raised electoral threshold to 3.25% in 2014 to reduce fragmentation.",
    "Arab parties united, forming Joint List with 13 seats in 2015.",
    "Threshold failed to achieve intended goal; Meretz and Balad fell short of entering Knesset in 2022."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/13415626.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "The land and sky of miracles: Flydubai hijacking reminded Israel of God's protection - opinion",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/the-land-and-sky-of-miracles-flydubai-hijacking-reminded-israel-of",
        "published": "2026-10-10T12:11:13.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}