The Democrats הדמוקרטים

Merger of Labor and Meretz under a retired IDF deputy chief of staff. Social-democratic economics, two-state diplomacy and a hard line against the judicial overhaul.

The list, who comes with them

How this list is picked. The Democrats chose their list for the 26th Knesset in a primary of party members in July 2026. According to party spokesperson Jonathan Cummings, 113,000 members were eligible to vote and 87% did so. The party's gender-balance rules alternate men and women, with exceptions for reserved places. Three places in the top 20 were reserved for candidates of Meretz origin under the merger agreement, with other places reserved for minority and rural communities. Since the 2024 merger, Meretz has no institutions, platform or campaign of its own, so it is not shown as a faction.

1Yair GolanParty Chair, Maj. Gen. (res.) · wants National Security Minister or Defense Minister→2Naama LazimiMK · wants Education Minister→3Gilad KarivMK, Reform rabbi→4Efrat RaytenMK, lawyer · wants Justice Minister→5Yair FinkSocial activist→6Gaby LaskyHuman rights lawyer, former MK→7Omri RonenBrothers in Arms activist→8Michal RozinFormer MK · wants chair of the Democrats’ Knesset faction→9Moshe RadmanTech entrepreneur, protest leader→10Sumaya BashirArts therapist, Insan founder · wants chair of the Knesset’s Interior and Environment Committee→

Show 20 more namesShow fewer▾▴

11Nimrod ShefferMaj. Gen. (res.), former IAI CEO→12Moran Zer KatzensteinBonot Alternativa founder→13Avi DabushRabbis for Human Rights director · wants Economic Affairs or Interior Committee chair; Finance Minister as an aspiration→14Emilie MoattiFormer MK · wants deputy foreign minister→15Tomer AvitalTransparency journalist · wants chair of the Knesset House Committee→16Nava RozolioLawyer, accountant, Mishmarot HaBusha founder · wants membership of the Knesset Finance Committee→17Ram ShefaFormer MK · wants Education Minister→18Ali SalalhaFormer MK, educator · wants membership of the Education, Constitution, or Interior and Environmental Protection Committees→19Rotem Sivan-HoffmanNeuroradiologist, Ima Era co-founder · wants Health Minister or chair of the Knesset Health Committee→20Eran EtzionFormer deputy National Security Adviser→21Moran MichelContent editor and community organiser · wants roles on the Education, Foreign Affairs and Defence, or Finance Committees→22Mossi RazFormer MK→23Ghaleb SalamnehLawyer→24Katy Piasetzky-MoragDeputy mayor of Bat Yam · wants Interior Minister→25Amir KhnifessInternational relations researcher→26Mehereta Baruch-RonFormer deputy mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo→27Ayed BadirFormer deputy mayor of Kafr Qasim · wants the Interior and Environment Committee chair→28Chen ArieliDeputy mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo→29Gil BeilinAdvertising executive and author→30Yael Cohen ParanPardes Hanna–Karkur councillor; former MK · wants Environmental Protection Minister→

Rank on the slip decides who enters the Knesset. At 9 projected seats, roughly the top 9 names get in.

The jobs they are going after

Cabinet jobs where someone on this list is up against candidates from other parties.

• Education MinisterNaama Lazimi, Ram Shefa7 running →
• Finance MinisterAvi Dabush6 running →
• National Security MinisterYair Golan5 running →
• Justice MinisterEfrat Rayten4 running →
• Defense MinisterYair Golan3 running →
• Environmental Protection MinisterYael Cohen Paran1 running →
• Health MinisterRotem Sivan-Hoffman1 running →
• Interior MinisterKaty Piasetzky-Morag1 running →

Where they stand