Russian-Speaking Representation in Knesset Expected to Plummet
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Exit polls for Israel's 26th Knesset suggest a significant drop in Russian-speaking representatives, with only three expected to be elected compared to seven currently. Avigdor Lieberman's "Our Home is Israel" party is projected to win 4-8 seats, potentially including Yulia Malinovskaya and Evgeny Sofa. Alex Rif is expected to enter the Knesset through the "Yashar" party. The Likud party, despite a strong showing, is not anticipated to have any Russian-speaking members in winnable positions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Only 3 Russian-speaking representatives are expected in the 26th Knesset, down from 7 in the current one.
- Avigdor Lieberman's "Our Home is Israel" party is projected to win 4-8 seats.
- Alex Rif is expected to secure a seat in the Knesset with the "Yashar" party.
- Likud is not expected to have any Russian-speaking immigrants in winnable Knesset positions.
- The number of Russian-speaking MKs has steadily declined since the 17th and 18th Knessets.
The upcoming 26th Knesset is projected to have a significantly reduced number of Russian-speaking representatives. Exit polls released on October 27 indicate that only three members from the Russian-speaking community may secure seats, a sharp decline from the seven in the current Knesset and eight in the previous one.
The "Our Home is Israel" (NDI) party, led by Avigdor Lieberman, is expected to win between 4 and 8 seats, compared to its current 6. Lieberman himself and Yulia Malinovskaya are currently guaranteed seats. Evgeny Sofa's position is uncertain, and Elvira Kalikhman might secure a seat based on one exit poll.
The "Yashar" party, headed by Gadi Eisenkot, is predicted to gain 19-22 seats, which would ensure a Knesset seat for Alex Rif, founder of the "Million Lobby" organization representing Russian-speaking Israelis.
The Likud party, despite potentially winning 24-39 seats, is not expected to have any Russian-speaking immigrants in realistic positions, unlike in previous years. Ze'ev Elkin is at number 32 on the list, and Yuli Edelstein has left the party. Boris Aplichuk, who sought an immigrant reservation spot, did not receive one.
The "Be-Yahad" bloc included one Russian-speaking candidate, Vladimir Beliak, at position 16, while Tatyana Mazarskaya did not run. Olesya Kantor is at number 26, a position unlikely to yield a seat given the bloc's projected 11-15 mandates. Many parties lacked Russian-speaking candidates even in non-viable positions, and the Russian-language election campaign was notably subdued this year.
Historically, the 23rd Knesset had 10 Russian-speaking MKs, and the 20th also had 10. The 17th Knesset had 16 Russian-speaking representatives, and the 18th had 14. The first Knesset holds the record, with 85% of its members being immigrants and 58% either born in the Russian Empire or fluent in Russian.
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