Democrats Party Holds Tight Primaries With 51 Candidates for 10 Seats

The Israeli political party "The Democrats" has opened a competitive primary race with 51 candidates vying for approximately 10 realistic Knesset seats, according to recent polls. The party's electorate includes around 85,000 eligible voters, comprising members of the Labor and Meretz parties as well as new registrants who have joined the left-wing party in large numbers recently. This surge in membership reflects growing public interest in influencing the party's candidate list ahead of the 2026 elections.

Among the prominent candidates are current Knesset members Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, and Efrat Rayten. Notably, former Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli is not on the list. Former MKs Mossi Raz, Gabi Leski, Emily Mualem, and Yaya Fink have also registered. Activists known for protesting against the government, including Moshe Redman, Omri Ronen, Nimrod Shafir, and Moran Zar Katzenstein, are participating, alongside former Peace Now secretary-general Yariv Oppenheimer and Gil Beilin, son of former minister Yossi Beilin.

The primaries are scheduled for July 20, with voter registration open until one week before the vote, allowing new members to join without restrictions. After the primaries, the party plans to adjust the list to ensure gender balance, as stipulated by party rules. Omri Lovton-Garnot, the party's CEO, emphasized that "The Democrats" stand as the only democratic party in the opposition bloc, offering a transparent, open, ethical, and stable alternative to other political factions that rely on closed-door decisions or single leaders.