Israel's 2026 Election: A Battle for the Soul of the Right
Israel's upcoming parliamentary elections on October 27, 2026, are shaping up to be a contest not between left and right, but among different factions of the right-wing, with the left largely absent from the political landscape. Current indicators suggest the election will primarily be a struggle for leadership within the right, reflecting a societal shift towards right-wing ideologies that appears irreversible. Polls indicate that approximately two-thirds of Jewish Israelis identify as right-wing, with only 15% on the left, highlighting the right's dominant position.
Despite ongoing legal challenges and criticism over the handling of the October 7th attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retains significant support, with about half of Israelis still viewing him favorably or neutrally. Crucially, many of his opponents also fall within the right-wing spectrum. This means a decline in Netanyahu's personal popularity does not necessarily signal a weakening of the right as a whole. Potential successors to lead the opposition, such as Gadi Eisenkot, hail from the right, indicating that the opposition's focus is largely on ousting Netanyahu rather than presenting a distinct political alternative on key issues.
Demographic shifts, particularly the growing ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) population, are further bolstering the right's electoral base. The Haredi community, with its high birth rates, is projected to constitute a significant portion of Israel's population by 2059, influencing public policy and reinforcing the right's electoral strength. This trend predates the recent increase in emigration following the Gaza war, which has primarily affected secular and less ideologically aligned segments of the population.
Several new political forces are emerging within the right. Gadi Eisenkot's new party, "Yashar" (Integrity), is gaining traction, appealing to security-minded voters with a background in military leadership. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has formed a new centrist-right alliance, "B'Yachad" (Together), with Yair Lapid, aiming to attract disillusioned voters. Avigdor Lieberman's "Yisrael Beiteinu" (Israel Our Home) represents a secular, nationalist right focused on opposing Haredi influence. Additionally, reserve Brigadier General Ofir Winter has founded "Amcha Yisrael" (People of Israel), advocating for a strong military-led government and opposing a Palestinian state.
The "Religious Zionism" party, led by Bezalel Smotrich, faces challenges in crossing the electoral threshold, prompting a technical alliance with Moshe Feiglin's "Zehut" (Identity). Itamar Ben-Gvir's "Otzma Yehudit" (Jewish Power) party continues to appeal to a more radical and populist segment of the right. Netanyahu's Likud party is navigating a complex landscape, needing the support of the far-right while also managing the potential fragmentation of right-wing votes and the international constraints imposed by extremist factions.
On the Arab-Israeli political front, two main lists are competing: the "Joint List" (Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad), advocating for broad Arab-Jewish partnership against fascism and racism, and "Ra'am" (United Arab List), led by Mansour Abbas, which seeks to influence policy from within the government, a strategy criticized by the Joint List for compromising core principles. The traditional "Zionist left" is largely consolidated into the "Democrats" party, a merger of the Labor and Meretz parties. The overarching trend across most major Zionist parties is an acceptance of the occupation as a reality, with election platforms focusing on managing the Gaza Strip and West Bank rather than ending the occupation or establishing a Palestinian state.
