New Poll Reveals Voting Intentions of Young Israelis

A recent poll conducted by the Midgam institute indicates that "Yashar" (led by Gadi Eisenkot) is the preferred party among young Israelis aged 18-22 who will be voting for the first time. The survey, which polled 301 participants between September 15-22, 2026, found that 16% of these first-time voters would cast their ballot for "Yashar." The Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, followed with 14% support, while "Bechayach" (led by Naftali Bennett) garnered 10%.

Overall, the political leanings of these young voters align closely with the general adult population, with 74% identifying as right-wing or center-right, compared to 67% of adults. Conversely, 23% of young voters identify as left-wing or center-left, compared to 33% of adults. The poll also highlighted a significant difference in support for ultra-Orthodox parties between young ultra-Orthodox voters and the general young population. Among young ultra-Orthodox voters, "Yahadut HaTorah" received 45% support, significantly higher than Shas's 20%.

The survey also explored the influence of parental voting habits, revealing that 59% of young voters intend to vote for the same party or bloc as their parents. However, 21% plan to vote differently. Among those choosing a different path, 14% indicated they would support current coalition parties, bolstering Netanyahu's bloc, while 23% of those whose parents support Netanyahu's bloc stated they would support a "change bloc."

Regarding preferred leadership, Benjamin Netanyahu emerged as the favored candidate for prime minister among young voters, with 46% preferring him over Naftali Bennett (34%) and Gadi Eisenkot (47% vs. 37% for Eisenkot). The poll's margin of error is ±4.4%.