Israel Advocacy Network Blog - State Zionist Council of Victoria

New Election results - just in:

Kadima: 29 Knesset seats
Labor: 20
Shas: 12
Likud: 12
Israel Beitenu: 11
NRP / NU: 9
Pensioners: 7
United Torah Judaism: 6
Meretz: 5
United Arab List: 3
Balad: 3
Hadash: 3

This puts another twist on the talk of Coalition and Opposition parties. If Shas is to join the Kadima led coalition, it now means Benjamin Netanyahu will be the leader of the Opposition, as opposed to earlier thoughts that indicated that Avigdor Liberman, as the leader of Israel Beitenu, would become the leader of the opposition. Feel free to discuss your views on how Coalition talks will work out.

ELECTION RESULTS (with 99% of the vote counted):

Kadima: 28 Knesset seats
Labor: 20
Shas: 13
Israel Beitenu: 12
Likud: 11
NRP / NU: 9
Pensioners: 7
United Torah Judaism: 6
Meretz: 4
United Arab List: 4
Balad: 3
Hadash: 3

Some interesting facts:

• In 2003, 13 Parties won seats in the election.
• By the day before yesterday’s election, there were 19 Parties holding seats in the Knesset.
• In 2006, out of the 31 parties running, 19 were new parties. 12 Parties of the 31 have won seats.
• Parties that did not hold seats in the 2003 elections that gained seats yesterday: Kadima, Pensioners and Israel Beitenu. 48 seats, or 40% of all seats, went to new parties.
• Parties that held seats as of 27 March 2006, but failed to win a seat in this election: Shinui, Secular Faction, Ichud Leumi, Agudat Yisrael, National Democratic Assembly, Degel Hatorah, Habayit Haleumi, Renewed National Religious Zionist, Arab Movement for Renewal, Zionism Liberalism Equality
• There were 18 women in the 16th Knesset, there are only 17 women in the 17th Knesset. Kadima has 6 females, Labor has 5, Israel Beitenu has 3 and Likud, Meretz and Gil (Senior Citizens) has one apiece.
• Pensioners Party – general consensus was that ‘Tel Aviv was voting for the pensioners.’ 20 something people were campaigning for them because they wanted to do something for the poor and elderly among the population. “save our grandfathers”. Reports yesterday indicated that 40% of voters for the Gil party were aged under 50.
• Israel Beitenu – addressed issues of new immigrants from FSU in 1990s – centre- centre left on domestic policy, but far right wing otherwise. Over 50% of votes for this party came from Russian immigrants.
• Parties which contended included the Green Leaf Party, the Fight the Bank party, and other single platform parties with agendas including rights and welfare of olim, Ethiopian immigrants, Russian immigrants or Arab Israelis, a party supporting men’s rights in parental issues, .
• The Green Leaf party attracted a significant number of votes from Kibbutzim. Had that trend continued around the country, they would have achieved at least 2 seats.

Got any other interesting facts? Comments on the results of the election? Feel free to comment here!