38 Parties Submit Lists for Upcoming Knesset Elections

The deadline for parties and blocs to submit their lists for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, scheduled for October 27, has passed, with 38 lists filed with the Central Elections Committee. This number is slightly lower than the 40 lists submitted for the 2022 elections, though still far from the record 47 lists in 2019. The Central Elections Committee is now reviewing the submitted documents, including candidate compositions, party names, and requested letter designations, with final approval expected by September 27. A new rule allows parties to choose a three-letter designation for their ballot symbol, a change from the previous one or two-letter limit, though some parties historically used three letters. The submitted lists include a wide range of political affiliations, from established parties like Likud, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White, led by Benny Gantz, to new formations and alliances. Notable entries include "Yahad" led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, "Yashar! with Eisenkot, Uniting Israel" led by Gadi Eisenkot, and "Otzma Yehudit" led by Itamar Ben-Gvir. The list also features religious parties such as "Shas" led by Aryeh Deri and "United Torah Judaism" led by Yaakov Asher, as well as Arab parties like Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, and the joint "Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad" list. The committee will address potential conflicts in requested letter designations, prioritizing established usage and seeking agreements where necessary, before finalizing the list of approved participants.