The Democrats
The Democrats is a party founded in 2024 as a result of a merger between the Labor Party and Meretz. The unification process was led by Yair Golan (formerly a Meretz Member of the Knesset), who was elected chair of the Labor Party in May 2024.
The party defines itself as Zionist, liberal, and democratic. Its main principles, as published on its website, are:
Government and democracy: Advancing a Basic Law on legislation; strengthening watchdog institutions; amending the Nation-State Law in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence; protecting the free press; and strengthening local government.
Foreign and security policy: Toppling Hamas rule; achieving full equality in bearing the national burden (universal conscription); strengthening alliances with moderate actors against the “axis of evil”; and halting the annexation process.
Religion and state: advancing limited public transportation on Shabbat in secular communities; promotion of civil marriage; recognition of conversions not conducted solely by the Chief Rabbinate.
Socio-economic policy: reducing the cost of living; improving welfare services; and rehabilitating the civil service.
Education: introducing mandatory democracy studies; strengthening the status of teachers and educational staff; and encouraging academic education and research across all sectors of society.
