Women's Knesset Representation Hits Record High, But True Equality Remains Distant

The newly sworn-in Knesset has a record number of 33 women, making up 27.5% of the 120 members. While this represents an improvement over previous Knessets, where the number of women at swearing-in ceremonies ranged from 29 to 30, it still falls short of women's proportion in the general population. An analysis by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) reveals that this increase is largely driven by opposition parties, with women comprising 39% of Knesset members in the "Izankov Bloc" and Arab parties, compared to only 13% in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc.

This disparity has widened since 2020. In Netanyahu's bloc, the percentage of women has decreased from 21% in the 23rd Knesset to 13% in the 26th, while in opposition parties, it has risen from 29% to 39%. Approximately 80% of current female Knesset members are not from Netanyahu's bloc, which includes Shas and United Torah Judaism, parties where women do not run or get elected by definition. Meretz is the only faction expected to have a female majority, and the "Together and Democrats" parties will have 50% female representation. In the Likud, the largest party, only four women will serve among 27 members.

Anat Tahon Ashkenazi, Director of the Center for Democratic Values and Institutions at IDI, described the rise in female representation as "welcome news," especially given the lack of progress since 2015 and even a decline in other public spheres. She emphasized the importance of ensuring this increase translates into key appointments within the Knesset and eventually the government. For long-term change, she advocates for legislating equal representation for women, as seen in other countries.

Assaf Shapira, Head of the Political Reforms Program at IDI, noted that while the number of elected women is a record, other aspects show a decline. Unlike most elections since 2009, no woman headed a list that was elected to the Knesset, whereas in the past, women led prominent parties. The 26th Knesset's female members are also younger and newer, with 55% entering for the first time compared to 33% of men, and an average age of 51.1 versus 54.3 for men. This is partly attributed to the high number of women in "change bloc" parties, where 17 out of 26 elected women are first-time MKs.

Differences in experience are also evident in ministerial roles, with only five women (15%) having previously served as ministers, compared to 38% of men. In Netanyahu's bloc, the situation is particularly stark, with only seven women elected, only one of whom is new. Former MK Keren Barak (Likud) stated that female representation is a necessity and a global indicator of a country's progress. She lamented the decline of women's roles within the Likud due to religious extremism and internal political maneuvering, citing figures like Karai and Haim Katz as contributing factors. Barak is actively working to change this from within, aiming to restore the Likud's past role as a breeding ground for female leaders.

The IDI analysis also examined the professional backgrounds of female MKs. In the opposition bloc, civil society and education are the most common fields for women (nine out of 26), followed by local government and public service. Public service is the only area where women outnumber men. In security-related backgrounds, there are two women versus nine men in the opposition bloc, and one woman versus three men in Netanyahu's bloc. The seven women in Netanyahu's bloc have backgrounds in civil society, education, politics, security, and liberal professions, with no women in local government, public service, or business, compared to 15 men in these fields combined.