Golan's Democrats projected to gain five seats in Knesset

The Democrats, led by former IDF deputy chief of staff Yair Golan, are projected to secure between nine and ten seats in the upcoming 26th Knesset. This projection represents a substantial increase from the four seats the party held in the outgoing legislature. Final pre-election surveys from Channel 12, the Kan public broadcaster, Maariv, and The Jerusalem Post all indicated a tally of ten seats for Golan's slate. Initial polling had placed the range between eight and ten seats, but the final data points converge on the higher end.

The party formed in July 2024 through a merger of the Labor Party and Meretz. The consolidation aimed to unite the Israeli left and avoid the fragmentation that saw Meretz fall below the 3.25% electoral threshold in 2022. Incumbent lawmakers Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, and Efrat Rayten were placed behind Golan on the primary slate selected that same month.

During the campaign, Golan centered the platform on fundamental change and the protection of Israeli democracy. The party promised legislation to bar politicians under criminal indictment from serving as prime minister or cabinet ministers. Golan pledged full support for the judiciary and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara against government moves to weaken their authority. On domestic policy, the Democrats advocated for separating religion and state. This included introducing civil marriage and protecting businesses' right to operate on Shabbat.

The party also targeted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his response to rising crime in Arab communities. The Democrats voiced strong opposition to military draft exemptions for Haredi men. In security matters, Golan rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of repeated military engagements. Instead, the party sought a regional accord that would establish a demilitarized Palestinian state. The platform opposed West Bank annexation, called for ending state funding for illegal outposts, and proposed stripping Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of his civil administration powers in the territory.

Golan ruled out joining a coalition led by Netanyahu or sitting alongside Smotrich, Ben-Gvir, or ultra-Orthodox parties. He supported forming a government with Arab parties, such as Ra'am, describing their participation as a necessary component of Israeli democracy. These dynamics could affect the next government's ability to secure a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

The final distribution of seats depends on the official vote count and the subsequent allocation of Knesset seats. The current figures remain preliminary projections based on exit polls. The official count will determine the exact number of mandates the Democrats receive in the new parliament.