Only a quarter of Israelis believe a political party closely reflects their views, according to new findings from the Israel Democracy Institute’s annual Democracy Index, signaling a growing disconnect between the electorate and political leadership just over a year before national elections.
In the full national sample, just 26% say there is a party that aligns closely with their views, the lowest figure recorded since 2003. Roughly 35% feel somewhat represented, while 34% report no political party represents them at all.
Among Jewish respondents, political centrists were least likely to feel represented (20.5%), compared to 29% on the Right and 34% on the Left. In terms of religiosity, ultra-Orthodox Jews reported the strongest sense of political representation, while national religious Jews were the most likely to say no party represents them well.
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Despite this disconnect, public confidence in the election process remains relatively strong. About 65% of Israelis believe the 2026 Knesset elections will be free and fair. Confidence is higher among Jews (68%) than Arabs (50.5%), with the Right expressing the highest level of trust.
Still, concerns about election interference remain widespread. Nearly half of Israelis think domestic actors will try to improperly sway the results, with slightly fewer suspecting foreign involvement. On the Right, fears about outside interference are especially pronounced, while the Left is more concerned about manipulation from within Israel.
When asked what drives their vote, Jewish respondents were evenly split across foreign policy, religion and state, and the economy—each cited by about one in five voters. Arab voters prioritized economic issues by a wide margin (33%), and nearly three-quarters said a party’s stance on crime in Arab society will heavily influence their vote.
A plurality of Jewish voters also pointed to specific recent events—such as the return of hostages, judicial reform, the Oct. 7 attacks, and Haredi conscription legislation—as key in shaping their choice.
Skepticism remains high among young voters. About 40% of Jews aged 18–34 and 50% of Arabs in the same age group agreed with the statement, “It makes no difference who you vote for; it doesn’t change the situation.”