Yesh Atid Party Faces Collapse After Meteoric Rise

The Israeli political party Yesh Atid, once the second-largest in the Knesset with 24 seats after the 2022 elections, is reportedly on the verge of collapse ahead of the 2026 elections. The party, led by Yair Lapid, has seen a significant decline in public support and a wave of senior lawmakers announcing their departure, including Meir Cohen, Mickey Levy, Debbie Biton, Tatiana Mazarsky, and Karin Elharrar. This exodus has left Lapid as the sole remaining member from the party's original founding team in 2013.

Originally born from the 2011 social protest movement, Yesh Atid initially focused on issues like the collapsing middle class, cost of living, and unequal burden of military service. However, the article contends the party gradually shifted its focus, first leveraging economic anger, then concentrating on opposition to West Bank settlements, and subsequently making the fight against Haredi parties and the draft issue a central identity point. The final stage, according to the analysis, was an intense "anyone but Netanyahu" campaign fueled by animosity towards the former prime minister and the right-wing bloc.

The article criticizes this strategy, arguing that relying solely on identifying political enemies rather than presenting a comprehensive national vision and policy has proven unsustainable for a governing party. The author suggests that Lapid's repeated claims of victory and being the majority were disconnected from political reality, especially in light of the Netanyahu government's resilience and international activities.

Furthermore, the analysis posits that the events of October 7, 2023, shifted national priorities, with the Israeli public seeking decisive leadership on security and national issues. Yesh Atid, lacking a strong positive security and economic platform, struggled to appeal beyond its secular-liberal base, leading to a loss of the protest voters who propelled it to success in 2022.

As a result, Yesh Atid is now reportedly forced to join forces with Naftali Bennett's 'Bamah' (Together) list, with projections suggesting only 3-4 seats for Yesh Atid representatives out of an expected 8-9 for the joint list. This situation is described as a political admission of the brand's devaluation, transforming a potential governing party into a satellite faction with little independent achievement.