Israeli Cabinet Reschedules Municipal Elections to February 27

In a unanimous decision on Sunday, the Israeli cabinet voted to postpone the country’s municipal elections from January 30 to February 27. This move comes as a response to the challenges posed by the high number of candidates who are also reservists currently serving in the Israeli military. The elections, initially set for late October, were first moved to January due to the war in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7 incursion and terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, advocating for the rescheduling, emphasized the importance of enabling reservist candidates to participate. “We usually do not hold elections in wartime, but these elections were set in advance,” Netanyahu stated. He stressed that the right of reservists to be part of the electoral process was fundamental.

The cabinet had considered two dates: the original January 30 or the end of February. The decision to choose the latter was influenced by a report from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF indicated that approximately 688 reservists, representing 144 municipalities, would be unable to campaign or stand for election if the date remained in January.

Last week, the Prime Minister’s Office requested the IDF to provide data on the 2,189 reservists running for local offices, leading to this decision.