Feiglin opposes disqualification of Knesset candidates: "Does not align with the democratic principle"
Moshe Feiglin, chairman of the Zehut party, speaks out against the mechanism of disqualifying candidates and lists from running for the Knesset, arguing it is inconsistent with democratic principles. He says prohibited expressions should be dealt with through criminal law, not by revoking political rights. His remarks come amid heated discussions in the Central Elections Committee, which rejected requests to disqualify certain lists but disqualified others.
Moshe Feiglin, chairman of the Zehut party, speaks out against the very mechanism of disqualifying candidates and lists from running in Knesset elections, arguing it is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of democracy. His remarks come after the Central Elections Committee rejected the request to disqualify the list "Religious Zionism headed by Bezalel Smotrich and Zehut headed by Moshe Feiglin" from running in the 26th Knesset elections. Feiglin said that "the whole idea of disqualifying candidates and lists does not align with the basic democratic principle." According to him, when a candidate violates the law through a statement or action, it should be dealt with through criminal law and not by revoking their political rights. He added that "in the book of laws, there is no punishment in the form of revoking the right to vote or be elected." Feiglin also referred to his own past and said that even a conviction for offenses related to expression or political activity should not prevent a person from presenting their candidacy. "Whoever has been accused of incitement or sedition - like me - should be honored to sit in prison, but even from there, they retain the right to offer their candidacy," he said. These statements come against the backdrop of heated discussions in the Central Elections Committee, which rejected requests to disqualify Religious Zionism-Zehut, Otzma Yehudit, and the Democrats, but decided to disqualify Ra'am, the Joint List, MK Ofer Cassif, and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shahadeh.