Shas Chairman Arie Deri Steps Down From Knesset, Remains Party Leader

By מערכת ice

Translated & summarized from Ice by baba

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Arie Deri, chairman of the Shas party, will not serve in the upcoming Knesset, stepping down from the party's list. He will remain party chairman, leading from outside parliament and focusing on strengthening ties with the public and party activists. The decision follows Shas's reduced representation to six seats in the recent elections, which Deri called a "revealed miracle." Data shows a significant drop in votes across various regions, with the south experiencing the largest decline.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Arie Deri will not serve in the Knesset but will remain chairman of the Shas party.
Deri will focus on strengthening public ties and guiding party activists from outside parliament.
Shas secured six seats in the recent election, a result Deri termed a "revealed miracle."
The party experienced a significant vote decline, particularly in southern peripheral areas.
Moshe Abutbul and Dror Amos also stepped down from the Shas Knesset list.

Shas Chairman Arie Deri Steps Down From Knesset, Remains Party Leader — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Arie Deri, the veteran chairman of the Shas party, has announced he will not serve in the 26th Knesset, stepping down from the party's electoral list. Also departing the list are Members of Knesset Moshe Abutbul and Dror Amos. They will be replaced by Uriel Buso and Yossi Taieb.

This decision follows Deri's stated intention last week to withdraw from the party's leadership after the recent election results. The Council of Torah Sages had previously urged Deri to remain as chairman, and a final arrangement has now been reached. Deri will continue to lead Shas as its chairman but will do so without a formal parliamentary role.

In a statement, Deri explained his new role, "In light of the many tasks and challenges ahead, I intend to conduct in-depth tours across the country to strengthen the direct connection with the field, representatives, activists, and the public." He added, "To this end, I requested and received the consent of the Council of Torah Sages to vacate my seat on the Shas list for the Knesset in favor of the younger representatives, who have already proven themselves in parliamentary work." Deri also stated he would continue to convene the Shas faction meetings weekly to guide Knesset members and oversee legislative work.

The move comes after Shas's electoral performance, which saw the party drop to six Knesset seats. Deri had previously described the results as a "revealed miracle," attributing the party's survival to internal unity and the support of 300,000 voters despite what he called a "crazy incitement campaign." He noted that experts doubted the party could withstand such a challenge, especially during wartime.

Data from Dr. Gilad Malach of the Israel Democracy Institute indicates Shas lost approximately 100,000 votes across the board. The most significant decline was in southern peripheral areas, with a 45% drop in votes. Central and mixed cities saw a 35% decrease, and even predominantly Haredi cities experienced a 25% reduction in support for the party.