The Democrats Party Announces Primary Results
The Democrats party announced the results of its primary elections on Monday evening during a campaign launch event at Tel Aviv Port.
Approximately 97,000 out of 113,000 registered party members participated in the primary, representing a high turnout of around 86%. The members’ votes will shape the party’s Knesset candidate list, although party leader Yair Golan retains the authority to make certain changes to the list.
The top 15 candidates are:
- 1. Yair Golan
- 2. Naama Lazimi
- 3. Gilad Kariv
- 4. Efrat Rayten
- 5. Yaya Fink
- 6. Gaby Lasky
- 7. Omri Ronen
- 8. Michal Rozin
- 9. Moshe Radman-Abutbul
- 10. Somaya Bashir
- 11. Nimrod Sheffer
- 12. Moran Zer Katzenstein
- 13. Avi Dabush
- 14. Emilie Moatti
- 15. Tomer Avital
Protest Activists Prominent Among Top Ten Candidates
The top ten candidates included a notable presence of activists from the anti-government protest movement.
Former MK Gaby Lasky led the “Arrested Around the Clock” (“Otef Atzurim”) initiative, which provided assistance to people arrested during demonstrations. Omri Ronen was one of the leaders of “Brothers in Arms”, and Moshe Radman-Abutbul became known as a prominent protest activist.
Activist Naor Narkis, who campaigns for the separation of religion and state and the promotion of secularism, gained attention during the campaign due to his social media activity and the controversy surrounding him. However, he did not secure a place among the party’s top 20 candidates.
Yair Golan: “The task now is to translate this energy into governing power”
Democrats party leader Yair Golan said: “The task now is to take the enormous energy of these three and a half years and translate it into governing power. Demonstrations and protests must be transformed into political power. Without strong Democrats in government, the change bloc will shift to the right.”
Golan outlined the party’s agenda, stating that it would:
- evacuate illegal outposts in the West Bank that he said create security chaos;
- advance a liberal agenda, including public transportation on Saturdays;
- ensure that all laws associated with the judicial overhaul are completely repealed;
- eliminate organized crime, including in Arab communities;
- promote genuine Jewish-Arab partnership.
The Religious Zionism party strongly criticized the composition of the list. It claimed: “This is the face of the next Eisenkot government.”
The party criticized Golan, referring to his previous positions, including his statement that he would close the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli and his past description of some settlers as “sub-human.”
It also attacked MK Naama Lazimi, claiming she had said she would promote the evacuation of settlements as part of future agreements, and criticized Yaya Fink for fundraising for Huwara and posting evacuation orders in new settlements.
“Thanks to the primaries, we realized we have influence”
Before the event began, several teenagers could be seen holding Israeli flags and chanting the party’s name. At the end of the event, activists shouted: “Twenty seats!”
During the event, the party announced that its campaign slogan would be: “The courage to truly change”
The slogan echoes the letters “Emet” (Truth), which were historically associated with the Labor Party. “This will be the first time we are voting,” said Tamar Steinitz and Nadav Shmuel, participants in the Rabin Pre-Military Academy and activists in Young Democrats, from the stage at the event.
They explained: “At the academy, we learned about the problems and challenges facing Israeli society. We visited Hebron, learned about Beitanya Illit and Hatzar Kinneret. We learned about Arab society, and about liberal and social-democratic approaches. Thanks to the primaries, we understood that we have influence and the power to choose.”
Reservists, October 7 survivors, and activists call for change at Democrats event
Avshalom Zohar Sal, representing reservists, said he had served more than 450 days in Gaza and Lebanon. “We returned again and again to the same places without a political objective. The Democrats need to join the government in order to advance a clear goal, so that we are not constantly on the front lines,” he says.
Carmit Palty Katzir from Nir Oz, whose brother Elad Katzir was murdered while held captive by Hamas, said: “You were with us at the funerals and during the mourning periods, in the streets fighting for the hostages and for the country. The government of change will not be able to include anyone who was part of the coalition of October 7.”
Eyal Raz, deputy head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said: “We need a government that understands that the north is not the backyard, a leadership that knows how to rebuild not only homes and roads, but also the trust that has been lost.”
The Democrats Party bars Channel 14 reporters from covering primary event
The Democrats Party announced that it would not allow reporters from Channel 14 to attend and cover the primary event, arguing that the channel is a “propaganda machine” that has “for many months dedicated all of its broadcasts to spreading fabrications and unfounded conspiracy theories” against the party and its leader, Yair Golan.
The Press and Media Council called on the party to allow all media outlets to cover the event.