Külügyi Szemle - A Teleki László Intézet Külpolitikai Tanulmányok Központja folyóirata - 2003 (2. évfolyam)
2003 / 1. szám - KÖZEL-KELET - Gazdik Gyula: The evolution of the Israeli party system
The evolution of the Israeli party system Minister Yitzhak Mordehai, they had established the Centre Party /Merkaz/ which forged poHtical capital from the two major parties' decline. The Likud managed to gain only 19 mandates in the 1999 early elections, which severely restricted the manoeuvring space of Likud leader Ariel Sharon after his election as prime minister. With its six mandates, the Merkaz also failed to live up to expectations. Although its representatives had been included in post-election governments, - after the forced resignation of Mordehai, who had been fraught by moral scandals - the activities of the party had been restricted to the activities of the parliamentary deputies. By the 1990s, only the Change /Shinui/ survived as a genuine liberal party within the ranks of the Zionist political forces. The movement - determined to eliminate dichotomies from Israeli society - emerged after the 1973 Yom Kippur war and joined the Democratic Movement for Change /DMC/ in 1977. However, the DMC's collaboration with the Begin coalition government, comprising a number of religious factions, forced the Shinui to secede from the DMC. The party - currently led by the prominent Hungarian-born journalist Jozef (Tommy) Lapid - holds mandates in the Knesset since 1981 and proudly claims in its party programme, that the world and the Liberal International recognises the Shinui as the only liberal party in Israel. The party is seriously concerned about the grounds being gained by the religious groups in the field of politics, culture and privileges and views this development as an ostensibly threatening factor for the normal running of a free society. The party advocates the need for the immediate passage of legislation with respect to the creation of a viable constitution and, in particular, the formulation of Basic Laws governing freedom of religion. Ostensibly, this would ensure equality between the various orientations of the Jewish faith and reduce dependence on the ecclesiastical establishment. While the Shinui had supported the Israeli-Palestinian peace processes and the reconciliation with the Arab world, always stressed that these must guarantee Israel's security. Presently, this situation has changed in as far as the party does not recognise Arafat as a competent negotiating partner and advocates dialogue with the so-called moderate Palestinian politicians, on the condition that they cease all terrorist activities. Surprisingly, the party received six mandates at the 1999 elections, yet Lapid refused to join the Barak, and subsequently, the Sharon governments. The reasons given had been the same as two decades before: the dominant presence of the Orthodox bloc.15 Religious parties While the parliamentary representation of the so-called traditional Zionist parties notably declined during the last decade, the opposite is true in the case of the religious parties. Taking into account all the 15 legislative cycles this turnaround occurred at the 1988 elections.16 2003. tavasz 45
