Israeli Youth Lean Right, But Vote Less Than Parents

Young Israelis aged 18-34 are more right-wing than the general population, according to a "Koll Israel" survey by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute. The survey, conducted in early October, found 47.2% of young people intend to vote for the Netanyahu bloc, compared to 38.7% of the general public. The change bloc, which receives 6% more support overall, lags behind among youth, with the coalition bloc winning by nearly 15% among them, a 20-point gap to the right.

Younger demographics show a strong preference for religious and right-wing parties. 69% of those intending to vote for United Torah Judaism are young, as are 41% of those supporting Religious Zionism and Tkuma. Conversely, only 9% of those supporting the Democrats, 26% of Yisrael Beiteinu supporters, and 17% of Meretz supporters are young. Within right-wing parties, Otzma Yehudit has 50% young supporters, compared to 21% for Likud and 34% for Yamina.

An 11th European Social Survey (2023-2024) places Israel third out of 30 European countries for right-wing self-identification among 18-29 year olds, with a score of 5.97 out of 10, compared to a European average of 4.95. Only Bulgaria and Latvia ranked higher. This trend is partly attributed to demographic shifts, as traditional, religious, and ultra-Orthodox voters, who have higher birth rates, tend to vote like their parents. While secular individuals constitute 40% of the adult population, they are only 35% of the 20-44 age group, with the majority being traditional, religious, or ultra-Orthodox.

A study by Dr. Hagai Elkayam for the Hartman Institute's Center for Religion and State indicates that 50% of Israelis under 35 feel more connected to their Judaism since the war, compared to 32% of those over 36. Among those feeling more connected, 62% of younger individuals are more observant of religious commandments. However, this right-wing shift extends beyond religiosity, with young people exhibiting more hostile attitudes towards Arabs. A July "Koll Israel" survey revealed 42% of young people support revoking voting rights for Arab citizens of Israel, versus 33% of the general Jewish population. Furthermore, 73% of youth oppose negotiations with Palestinians, compared to 55% of older adults.

Despite their right-wing leanings, young Israelis vote at lower rates than their elders. The European Social Survey found only 62% of eligible young Israelis voted in the last election, compared to 78% of adults. When accounting for those abroad, the youth turnout drops to 55%. Professor Tamar Hermann, Academic Director of the Viterbi Center, notes that while reservists complain about extensive reserve duty, there's no criticism of security policy or anti-security sentiment among youth. She also observes that young secular individuals tend to lean slightly more right than their parents, and traditional youth often favor parties like Otzma Yehudit.

Political activists and researchers highlight the role of social media and WhatsApp/Telegram groups as primary information sources for 58% of young people, leading to consumption of short, superficial, and polarizing content. There is a broad consensus that the education system fails to adequately prepare youth for political engagement and understanding democracy, with a significant gap between interest and the knowledge provided in schools. This vacuum leaves social media, home, and social circles as the main influences, fostering animosity towards opposing political views as a key voting motivator.