Israel Elections 2021

The 2021 legislative elections in Israel were held on March 23, 2021, in order to elect the members of the 24th Knesset. The elections were the fourth in two years and were triggered by the dissolution of the Likud-Blue and White coalition which lasted for less than a year.

A total of 39 parties registered to run in the elections, although several dropped out shortly ahead of election day itself.

The election results saw the Likud party receive 30 seats, seven less than they had held in the 23rd Knesset, followed by Yesh Atid with 17, and then Shas with nine. Meretz, Haavodah, and Ra'am, received six, seven, and four seats respectively, despite uncertainty about whether or not any of them would pass the minimum threshold.

As leader of the largest majority, Benjamin Netanyahu was charged with forming a government by then-president Reuven Rivlin. Upon his failure to do so by the deadline, the mandate was passed onto Yair Lapid as leader of the second-largest party.

Together with Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid set out to form a wide coalition encompassing parties from the left such as Meretz and Haavodah, and the right, Yamina and New Hope. Mansour Abbas' Ra'am signed a coalition agreement with Lapid on June 2, just several hours before the deadline, making Ra'am the first Arab party to sit in government.

On June 13, 2021, the thirty-sixth government of Israel was sworn in with Naftali Bennett as Prime Minister and Yair Lapid set to take over as head of government in 2023.

Religious identity remains Israel's strongest political divide, new IDI study finds

While the relationship between religion and political affiliation remained largely stable compared to the previous election, the study identified several notable shifts between 2021 and 2022.

JUNE 29, 2026|ByLEO FEIERBERG BETTER

A voting box in the last Israeli election in 2015

Head of the left wing Meretz party Zehava Gal-On leaving after a meeting with Labor leader and Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid at Lapid's home in Tel Aviv on September 10, 2022.

New Meretz campaign video depicts violence by Netanyahu supporters

The video includes clips of violence inserted every few seconds, in between the words "this violence did not start now. It has been like this for two years, just like then."

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022|ByELIAV BREUER

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attends a cabinet meeting, March 20, 2022.

Israel elections: Bennett is crashing in the polls

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Yamina Party would win four seats if an election was held today, losing three seats in a span of three days.

JUNE 24, 2022|ByELIAV BREUER

Dozens of Evangelical Christians are seen attending the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, on June 10, 2021.

Christians pledge unconditional support for Israel at prayer breakfast

Speakers call to move more embassies to Jerusalem * Rabbi: ‘We are in a crisis, at a crossroads’

JUNE 10, 2021|ByMAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN

Lapid, Likud meet kingmaker Abbas in effort to draft coalition

Benny Gantz does not endorse Yair Lapid in long-awaited meeting • Likud MK Ayoub Kara to 'Post': I am sure PM Benjamin Netanyahu will form next government

MARCH 28, 2021ByGIL HOFFMAN, TOBIAS SIEGAL, IDAN ZONSHINE

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and alternate Prime Minister, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid

Lapid meets with Abbas for coalition talks

Abbas has become somewhat of an unlikely kingmaker since his party cleared the threshold to gain four Knesset seats, which could allow him to recommend either Netanyahu or his challenger, Lapid.

MARCH 28, 2021ByIDAN ZONSHINE

Ra'am Party leader Mansour Abbas casts his vote at a voting station in Maghar, during the Knesset Elections, on March 23, 2021.

Anti-Netanyahu bloc parties continue talks for possible coalitions

"There are meetings and discussions between everyone who is committed to change."

MARCH 27, 2021ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

CAMPAIGN POSTERS for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New Hope Leader Gideon Sa’ar and Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman are dotting the country as the March 23 election nears.

Can Israel avoid a fifth election? - opinion

In 2009 when he returned to power, Netanyahu had Ehud Barak to protect him on the Left; in 2013 it was Tzipi Livni; in 2015 it was Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu; and in 2020 it was Benny Gantz.

MARCH 25, 2021ByYAAKOV KATZ

A man hangs a Likud election banner, depicting party leader Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top challenger, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapi

Does Israel still have values after its fourth elections? - opinion

For many decades, Israeli politics was a battle royale of ideas between the Labor Party, led in large by David Ben-Gurion and his successors and the Herut/Likud Party led by Menachem Begin.

MARCH 25, 2021ByASHLEY PERRY

Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, lunches with Ezer Weizman and Menachem Begin at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel on December 11, 1967

Lapid begins courting partners for anti-Netanyahu coalition

Smotrich's Arab veto leaves Netanyahu with no possible coalition.

MARCH 25, 2021ByGIL HOFFMAN, JEREMY SHARON

Knesset Central Elections Committee Director Orly Adas counts ballots belonging to voters in quarantine, Shoham, March 2020.

Netanyahu will leave Balfour - opinion

After a couple months we’ll know what we already know today – Netanyahu is done. He won’t succeed in forming a government.

MARCH 25, 2021ByEHUD OLMERT

PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu addresses supporters at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning.

Seven ways Israel's 2021 election redrew the political map

Every election changes Israel’s political map and thus its future.

MARCH 25, 2021ByTOVAH LAZAROFF

WORKERS COUNT ballots of quarantined voters, at a tent in the Central Elections Committee warehouse in Shoham in March. (Flash90)

Israel's political extremes: Let the lion lie with the lamb

KNOW COMMENT: Minimal national unity, or simple political sanity, must override a pull toward the extremes

MARCH 25, 2021ByDAVID M. WEINBERG

Ra'am Party leader Mansour Abbas and party members at the party headquarters in Tamra, on election night, March 23, 2021.

We need to stop blaming Bibi for electoral deadlock

Perhaps it’s time to start reforming the system, rather than blaming Netanyahu for working it to his advantage

MARCH 25, 2021ByRUTHIE BLUM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the 2021 elections box