Articles

Holding elections on schedule is one of the fundamental principles of democracy. Yet in certain emergency situations, there may be no choice but to postpone them. Under what circumstances does the law permit elections to be delayed and what safeguards are in place to ensure that such a decision is made solely on substantive grounds?

My doctors recommended surgery. ChatGPT had a different perspective. As artificial intelligence increasingly joins human experts in decision making spheres, we must be aware of the way in which AI does more than act as a thought partner – it shapes the very environment in which our decisions are made.

Polymarket, Synthetic Simulations, and the Need to Expand Transparency Requirements Beyond Election Polls

In every Israeli election, parties spend tens of millions of shekels each on their campaigns. Where does the money come from, and when is it paid? How do the rules differ for large and small parties, and for established and new ones? Is there a spending ceiling? And what happens when a party runs a deficit?

Approximately three-quarters of Jewish Israelis fast on Yom Kippur and a majority of Israelis attend synagogue on Yom Kippur.

Israelis vote for party lists and only in elections for Knesset and local government. Adding a candidate-based component to Knesset elections and considering reforms that expand the number of elected institutions would improve Israel's democratic system.

Among Jews, a party's position on foreign affairs and security tops the list, while among Arabs, crime in Arab society is ranked most important. 68% of Jewish Israelis and 32% of Arab Israelis say October 7 is a central factor in deciding which party to vote for. Most Israelis are concerned about election interference.

A summary of research that looks at the scale and demographic profile of Jewish Israeli visitors to the Tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman.

Dr. Guy Lurie, Research Fellow in IDI’s Democratic Values and Institutions Program, joins an i24NEWS panel to discuss Israel’s Military Censor and the delicate balance between protecting national security and preserving freedom of speech. 

A settlement with Meta in the US, though imperfect, marks a significant recognition that the design of social media platforms must be regulated to protect children. In Israel, where children have been carrying three years of war on small screens, such protections are critical.

For Israel, national security and democracy are closely intertwined. The question facing the next leaders of the country is not only how Israel uses its security power, but who makes the decisions, through what process, and with what degree of accountability.

The state comptroller plays a critical role in preventing misconduct in elections. Israel is now in a situation in which "the rules of the game are in place, but the referee has disappeared from the field."

The date of the election for the 26th Knesset has been officially set. One of the major milestones on the road to Election Day is September 8, the deadline for submitting candidate lists. Each party is free to determine how it compiles its list. This review examines the methods the parties use.

72% of Jewish Israelis and 58.5% of Arab Israelis say there is danger to the integrity of Israel's elections. Israelis are split on how best to handle Iran. Laws passed in the legislative blitz prior to Knesset dissolution were broadly unpopular.

Haredi society features an unusually strong link between communal affiliation and voting patterns. Over the years, various mechanisms and motivations have been created to ensure that Haredi voters turn out to vote and to dictate which party they vote for. Will the conscription crisis and the events of recent years weaken these systems?

An analysis of legislation and initiatives that undermine democratic principles and institutions during the full 25^th Knesset term, from November 2022 through July 2026.

The government has decided to divert approximately NIS 500 million from the budget of a program to reduce disparities in Arab society and transfer the funds to the Shin Bet and the Israel Police to address crime and violence in Arab society. Is the Shin Bet – an agency whose mandate is to protect the security of the state and its institutions –suited for this task, and what might the consequences of its involvement be?

As Israel’s 2026 election campaign unfolds, IDI experts are examining the major questions shaping the campaign—and the country’s future. In the latest video in our special election series, Prof. Amichai Cohen, IDI’s newly appointed Vice President of Research, shares three key issues he’s watching.

As Israel marks Tisha B'Av, we recall that the Prophet Jeremiah manages to hold together pain, accusation, and despair, alongside mutual responsibility, accountability, and hope for the future. In 2026, Israel can learn several lessons from the way Jeremiah chooses to conduct a conversation.

Everything you need to know about what happens to the Knesset between the end of its summer session and the 2026 elections, scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Prof. Ofer Kenig briefed the Jerusalem Press Club on Israel’s upcoming elections including on how the electoral system works, the formation of party lists, “double envelope” voting, coalition negotiations, and the process of forming a new government after election day.

Torah study is a cornerstone of Jewish heritage and is worthy of support. The Basic Law that has passed in Knesset, however, could have implications for the principle of equality, the constitutional status of a Basic law and indeed, the world of Torah itself.

The legislation expands the possibility of gender-separated studies in higher education, fundamentally altering the balance between the desire to make higher education accessible to the Haredi population and the principle of equality.