The Democrats (Israel)

Background

In the 2022 Israeli legislative election, the left-wing Meretz party won 3.16% of the vote failing, for the first time, to pass the electoral threshold (3.25%) required to qualify for seats in the Knesset, while the Labor Party just managed to pass, with 3.69% of the vote, winning only four seats, its worst ever performance in terms of popular vote.^[9] Labor leader Merav Michaeli was criticized for having refused to enter into an electoral pact with Meretz as the party's loss contributed to Benjamin Netanyahu's victory in the election.^[10]

Negotiations began between Labor and Meretz following the 2022 election, with Meretz party secretary general Tomer Reznik and former Meretz MK Michal Rozin heading negotiations on behalf of their party and Labor MKs Gilad Kariv and Naama Lazimi in charge of the negotiations for Labor, with Yair Golan joining the negotiations later.^[11][12]

Polling conducted throughout 2023 and in 2024, in the months prior to Labor's leadership election, suggested that in the 2026 Israeli legislative election Labor may fail to pass the threshold and be shut out of the Knesset, while Meretz was projected to narrowly pass the threshold and win four seats. Polls taken in June prior to the merger agreement projected that if the parties were to run together, they would win more than ten seats.^[13][14]

Golan launched his leadership campaign for Labor in early March 2024 on a platform of uniting Labor, Meretz, and other organizations.^[15] He announced the formation of "The Democrats" on 18 March 2024, citing a need for a "democratic, free, broad-based, [and strongly Zionist] party", as an alternative to the Netanyahu government, and called for an early Knesset election.^[16] Golan was elected Labor leader in a "landslide victory" on 28 May 2024.^[17]

Merger

On 30 June, the two parties jointly announced that they had agreed to a merger.^[11] Under the merger agreement, there will be one Meretz representative in every four spots on the new party's electoral list, as well as on the party bodies, and there will also be representation for Meretz's municipal factions.^[18] Golan has said that the party aims to be a "broad home for the liberal-democratic public in Israel".^[3] Golan will receive two seats in the top ten slots.^[19] The representation agreement will be in effect only for the next election; the party's electoral slate and members of representative bodies will be chosen by party primaries. The agreement designated Labor Party leader Yair Golan as leader and chairman of the new party.^[11]

A convention of delegates from Labor and Meretz and of the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests approved the merger on 12 July 2024 in Tel Aviv.^[20][21] Under the agreement, Meretz and Labor continue as separate corporate and budgetary entities, and their factions in the Histadrut, municipal councils, and other bodies outside the Knesset will not merge at this stage, but will cooperate.^[20] Despite the merger, members of The Democrats continue to be identified in the 25th Knesset as members of the Israeli Labor Party because Ofir Katz, the chairman of the Knesset House Committee, and other members of the government coalition sitting on the committee, refused to agree to formally rename the Knesset faction in February 2025.^[22]

Joining by protest leaders and activists

Golan announced in January 2026 that numerous protest leaders, including Ami Dror, Moshe Radman, and Gaby Lasky, had joined the party.^[23] The following month, Omri Ronen, one of the leaders of Brothers and Sisters in Arms, also joined the party.^[24] In May 2026, Golan announced that Moran Zer Katzenstein, founder of Women Building an Alternative (Bonot Alternativa), had joined the party.^[25]

Character of the nation-state

The party supports repealing the Nation State Bill, a Basic Law that enshrines Israel's status as a Jewish state, on the grounds that it is discriminatory towards non-Jews.^[26][27]

Israel–Palestine conflict

The party supports a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Yair Golan states The Democrats is the only Zionist party which opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.^[28] Golan said the Palestinian Authority would be integral to governing Gaza the "day after".^[29] The party agreement mentions that "rebuilding Gaza is an Israeli interest".^[26] Golan also opposed the occupation and settlement of the Gaza Strip, saying "it will cost us in hostages and soldiers' blood".^[30]

Judiciary

The party opposes the 2023 Israeli judicial reform. The party's merger agreement states: "We will fight for a full and substantial democracy ... which will include protection of individual rights and minority rights ... we will uphold the full separation of powers, prevent abuses by government institutions, and safeguard the judicial independence."^[26]

Economy

The party supports social democratic policies, such as affordable housing, equal opportunities, welfare state, strengthening of trade unions, and opposition to privatization of public sectors such as healthcare and education.^[26]