Israel's 2026 general elections are scheduled for October 27, 2026, according to the Central Elections Committee. The campaign season is underway, with parties engaging the public and media. A key issue is the underrepresentation of women in the Knesset, where currently only 30 out of 120 seats (25%) are held by women, as verified by the Knesset's official data.
Women's rights groups, such as the Israel Women's Network, have called for stronger measures to boost female representation, including voluntary party quotas. In the 2022 elections, women won 29 seats, a slight decrease from 30 in 2021. The 2026 elections could see changes, but no major party has committed to gender parity on candidate lists.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has not announced specific gender quotas, while opposition parties like Yesh Atid have historically fielded more female candidates. The Arab-majority parties, such as Hadash-Ta'al, have also faced criticism for low female representation. The outcome will depend on voter priorities and party strategies in the coming months.
