Youth Vote for Gadi Eisenkot in Mock Knesset Election

High school students at Blich School in Ramat Gan held mock Knesset elections on September 17, 2026, with Gadi Eisenkot's "Yashar" party securing a significant victory with 32.2% of the vote. This annual tradition is closely watched as it has historically, though not always recently, mirrored actual election outcomes, notably predicting the 1977 Likud victory. Naftali Bennett's "BeYachad" party came in second with 22.4%, followed by Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud at 15.5%. Other parties like "Otzma Yehudit," "Democrats," and "Yisrael Beiteinu" also participated, with many failing to cross the electoral threshold.

The mock elections are part of a month-long civics project, involving party leaders and Knesset members visiting the school for discussions and Q&A sessions. The participation of figures like Simcha Rothman and incidents such as a glass being thrown at MK Meirav Ben-Ari highlighted the charged political atmosphere surrounding the event. Students in 11th and 12th grades, most of whom are not yet eligible to vote in real elections, engaged in a process that included campaign stands and party-affiliated attire.

While the Blich elections have a half-century history, dating back to 1969, and correctly predicted major shifts in 1977 and 1992, their predictive accuracy has waned in recent years. For example, in 2022, "Yesh Atid" won the mock vote, but Likud emerged as the largest party in the actual election. School officials emphasize that the project's primary goal is educational, aiming to teach students critical thinking, comparative analysis of party platforms, and respectful engagement with diverse viewpoints, rather than predicting national results.

In a separate mock election held at "Atid Madayim" school in Lod the same week, Yisrael Beiteinu won with 23.5% of the vote, followed by "BeYachad" and "Yashar!".