Professor Asher Cohen Warns 10% of Votes Could Be Wasted Due to Electoral Threshold

Professor Asher Cohen, a political science expert, urged small parties to consider uniting ahead of elections to avoid losing votes due to Israel's electoral threshold. In an interview with Channel 7, Cohen explained that as the number of eligible voters grows, the vote count needed to pass the threshold rises significantly. He warned that if several small parties run separately, up to 10% of votes could be wasted, referencing past elections where hundreds of thousands of votes were lost because parties failed to meet the threshold. Cohen called for abolishing the electoral threshold, arguing it has failed to reduce the number of parties or political bargaining and only results in wasted votes. He suggested exploring alternatives such as surplus vote alliances involving more than two parties to minimize vote loss without blocking new political forces.

Cohen also commented on the recently passed Basic Law on Torah Study, describing it as a symbolic gesture aimed at appeasing ultra-Orthodox factions. He noted the law's vague definition of "Torah study," which could include Reform or Conservative streams, raising constitutional questions. Regarding the Supreme Court ruling on the composition of the Second Authority Council, Cohen labeled the court's activism as "radical," criticizing the decision to allow the council to convene without the legally required quorum. He highlighted the ongoing constitutional crisis, pointing to the government's refusal to comply with the ruling and expressing uncertainty about the outcome of this standoff.