A picture is worth a thousand men, right? Ahead of the 2026 elections

Yael Yechieli, founder of 5050, writes about the absence of women at the head of parties running in the 2026 elections. A photo of party leaders, all men, sparked reactions on social media. The article compares the situation to Sweden, where women lead six parties, and analyzes the implications for women's representation in decision-making centers in Israel.

Yael Yechieli, founder and CEO of the 5050 initiative, writes about the absence of women at the head of parties running in the 2026 elections. A photo of party leaders, all men, published on this site, sparked reactions on social media asking 'Where are the women?' The article notes that there have never been more than two parties led by women in a single election cycle, and that over nearly eight decades of Israeli politics, women at the head of parties are the exception. Yechieli compares the situation in Israel to Sweden, where women lead six major parties, and analyzes the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks Israel 93rd in political empowerment. The article argues that if the change bloc parties form the next government, we will see a more equal government, while if the right-wing and Haredi parties form it, the decline in women's representation will continue. Yechieli notes that beneath the party leaders, the picture is beginning to change, with women in high realistic positions on several lists.