Op-ed

Fixing our Broken System

| Written By:

The Israeli public is increasingly demanding a more effective system of government. In this op-ed from Israel Hayom (February 2, 2012), IDI Former President and Founder Dr. Arye Carmon asserts that reforming the system of government is the only answer to stabilizing the executive so that a party that has been voted into power can actually govern, and points to two types of necessary change: structural and perceptual.

"The slogan "Change the electoral system" has been gaining traction of late in public discourse. The discourse in our specific political culture centers on the day before the elections, with contenders promising "I'll win," and "I'll be prime minister." The problem is that "the day before" has no real significance. What matters is the day after the elections: What will the winner rule with? Will the winner even be able to rule? A single thread runs through all the latest polls: The political party map is in tatters. Whoever wins the country's next general elections will stand at the head of a party whose size is smaller or equal to the size of the current large parties (27-28 mandates). The next prime minister, whomever it may be, will not be able to rule without being hostage to sectorial political parties. Reforming the system of government is the only answer to stabilizing the executive so that a party that has been voted into power can actually govern. The way to this reform lies in both structural and perceptual change 

On the structural level, this reform would entail strengthening political parties in general, and especially strengthening parties which amalgamate disparate groups within them. From here, the reform needs to weaken narrow sectorial parties . . ." 

Read the full article on the Israel Hayom website. 


 Dr. Arye Carmon is the Former President and Founder of the Israel Democracy Institute.