The Elections in Israel 2009
- Edited By: Asher Arian, Michal Shamir
- Publication Date:
- Cover Type: Hardcover
- Number Of Pages: 306 Pages
The Elections in Israel 2009 is an analysis of the elections to the 18th Knesset, which were held in February 2009. These elections are best understood in the context of the wars that were at each end of the tenure of Ehud Olmert’s government, corruption scandals involving the prime minister, and the failure of Tzipi Livni to form a new coalition following Olmert’s resignation. This analysis will be of particular interest to those concerned with comparative politics and elections in an open society.
This study analyzes the unique features of the 2009 elections for the 18th Knesset, which took place against the backdrop of the Second Lebanon War, "Operation Cast Lead" in Gaza, the Olmert investigations, and the deepening world financial crisis. Also discussed are the gendered discourse around the candidacy of Kadima leader, Tzipi Livni, the restoration of Benjamin Netanyahu to the prime minister's office, and the strengthening of the Right.
The Elections in Israel 2009 is an analysis of the elections to the 18th Knesset, which were held on February 10, 2009, almost three years after the elections to the 17th Knesset and approximately twenty months before the original date set for them. These elections are best understood in the context of the wars that were at each end of Ehud Olmert's government tenure, corruption scandals involving the prime minister, and the failure of Tzipi Livni, the newly elected head of Kadima, the ruling center party, to form a new coalition following Olmert's resignation.
The election campaign of 2009 began with the resignation of Ehud Olmert, in the shadow of his corruption scandals and issues of integrity and clean government. This was followed by the world financial crisis, which directed attention towards the economic dimension and performance of the candidates. On the face of it, the campaign was cut short when military action began in Gaza. Still, the election was on the minds of candidates, and the question of who can best ensure security prevailed in the campaign. The campaign became personalized and focused on the candidates: Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak, the two candidates who had once headed the government and aspired to return, Tzipi Livni, the chairperson of Kadima, who was running for the first time as head of a party.
This analysis of the elections to the 18th Knesset will be of particular interest to those concerned with comparative politics and elections in an open society.