Women's Representation in Knesset Expected to Decline Post-Election
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
An estimated 31 women are expected to be in Israel's next Knesset, with representation significantly lower if Netanyahu's bloc forms the government. This falls short of UN goals for women's participation in decision-making. Israel ranks 95th globally in female parliamentary representation. Globally, women are more likely to hold social welfare-related ministerial roles, with defense and religious affairs being the least common portfolios.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- An estimated 31 women are expected in Israel's next 120-member Knesset, representing about a quarter of lawmakers.
- If Netanyahu's bloc forms the government, only five women are projected to be in the coalition.
- If a "change bloc" forms the government, 23 women are projected to be in the coalition.
- Israel ranks 95th globally in women's representation in national parliaments.
- Globally, women are least likely to hold positions as ministers of defense or religious affairs.
- The 24th Knesset had a record 45 women lawmakers.
According to average polling data, approximately 31 women, or about a quarter of the 120 members, are expected to serve in the next Knesset. This figure is considered insufficient for adequate representation. The distribution of seats between political blocs further highlights the disparity. If a "change bloc" forms the government, an estimated 23 women from parties like Yashar, Be'yahad, Democrats, and Yisrael Beiteinu are projected to be in the coalition. However, if Netanyahu's bloc forms the government, only five women from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionism are anticipated to be in the coalition. Parties like Shas and Yahadut HaTorah are not expected to have any female representatives.
Israel adopted the UN's Sustainable Development Goals over a decade ago, including one promoting women's full participation in decision-making. However, current data indicates a significant gap in achieving this goal. The 24th Knesset, during the Bennett-Lapid government, saw a record 45 women serving as lawmakers. Ironically, the 7th Knesset (1969-1974), when Golda Meir was Prime Minister, had the fewest women, though Israel was among the first nations to have a female leader. Globally, Israel ranks 95th in terms of women in parliament as of January 2026, with countries like the UAE, Andorra, Mexico, Bolivia, Cuba, and Rwanda leading the list.
Globally, women are often assigned to ministries related to social welfare, such as gender equality (90% of ministers), family, and children's issues (73%). Their representation is significantly lower in other areas, with women holding only 29% of education minister positions and 19% of foreign minister roles as of January 2026. Defense minister positions are held by women in only 12% of governments worldwide. Miri Regev holds a relatively rare position for a woman, as only 19 out of 195 transport ministers globally are women. The least common ministerial portfolio for women worldwide is religious affairs, with only three out of 47 ministers in this field being women.
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