Prof. Dror Feitelson: The questions to ask on the way to the ballot box

Prof. Dror Feitelson argues that elections in Israel have shifted from a tool for evaluating government performance ('the voter's judgment') to a tribal identity survey, led by Netanyahu. He cites the 2025 Democracy Index poll, according to which most of the public, including 40% on the right, believes the government has failed in security and 70% in welfare. However, he warns that most voters intend to replace individuals but preserve the same policies, and criticizes opposition leaders for not offering real change, except for Yair Golan.

Prof. Dror Feitelson argues that elections in Israel are supposed to serve as 'the voter's judgment' – a mechanism for evaluating government performance, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has turned them into a demographic survey of tribal identity. He cites the 2025 Israeli Democracy Index poll, according to which just over half of the public thinks the state is not succeeding in providing security, and about three-quarters think it is not succeeding in providing welfare. Even among right-wing voters, 40% think the government has failed in security and 70% in welfare. However, Feitelson warns that an overwhelming majority intends to vote for parties that support the same policies – continuation of war, settlements, and a neoliberal economy – and only replace the individuals. He criticizes the leaders of the 'change bloc' – Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Lapid, and Gadi Eisenkot – claiming they do not represent real change, except for Yair Golan. The article concludes with a call to examine whether the public truly wants change or just a more convenient version of the same thing.