Does the Knesset Reflect the Composition of Israeli Society? Changes in Representation Gaps, 1977-2019

Abstract

The Knesset is one of the pillars of Israeli democracy. It is the only elected political institution at the national level and, as such, is expected to reflect the diversity and complexity of Israeli society. The purpose of this article is to examine two key questions: a. Does the composition of the Knesset appropriately reflect Israeli society and what changes have occurred in the pattern of representation over the years? b. Does the Knesset’s representation patterns coincide with ideological and sectoral affiliation? The article discusses the concept of descriptive representation, according to which the essence of political representation lies in the identity and characteristics of the representatives rather than their actions.

Based on an original database of 1,560 observations, corresponding to the 120 MKs elected for each Knesset term from 1977 until April 2019, we examine the representation of a number of population groups: women, Arabs, the ultra-Orthodox, and immigrants, as well as citizens living in kibbutzim, settlements and development towns. With regard to the first research question, the findings show that the manner in which the Knesset reflects Israeli society has changed over the years. For example, it was found that underprivileged groups (e.g. women and Arabs) who for many years suffered from underrepresentation have gradually narrowed the gap and are now more appropriately represented. On the other hand, there are minority groups that are overrepresented in the Knesset. With regard to the second research question, the findings suggest that patterns of representation coincide to a large extent with ideological and sectoral affiliation. For example, the ultra-Orthodox and the Arabs – the two most distinct minority groups in Israeli society – are represented in the Knesset mainly by sectoral parties. Furthermore, the weakening of the Zionist parties on the Left has undermined their ability to represent certain population groups (such as kibbutzim, development towns and immigrants). During the last decade, these groups have been represented primarily by center parties.