Once the soldiers' votes are counted, the messy calculations begin. If you want to know how the system of seat allocation works see my post on it from back in the previous election season.
Addendum: You can get more info in Hebrew on this wacky system here.
Note that the system favors large parties (or pairs of parties with remainder agreements), so Likud/YB are well-placed to benefit. In the past, parties have even picked up two seats as a result of the remainder calculations . (For example, Likud in 2003 went up from 36 to 38.)
Update (Thursday 12:00): The final tally not counting double-sealed ballots (soldiers, diplomats, patients and prisoners) has been posted here. Right now, Lieberman is teetering between 14 and 15 seats. Likud/YB will probably have to waste their first bonus from the remainders just to get that 15th seat secured. Unfortunately, once Lieberman's 15th phantom seat is accounted for, Kadima is closer to picking up an extra seat than Likud/Lieberman.
On the other hand, the soldiers' (et al.) votes are almost finished being counted and they are running in favor of Likud over Kadima (though, not by a huge margin) and Lieberman is very strong (though, less than Kadima).
I would appreciate your thoughts on my ideas for Israeli political reform, posted here.
ReplyDeleteThe basic idea: elect 110 Knesset seats using the current proportional method, and give the remaining 10 seats to whichever party received the most votes overall. I hope this would allow for stable governments, while not totally eliminating the voice of minority and fringe parties.
Thanks,
AYB
thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I agree with what Dr. Aviad HaCohen wrote yesterday - nothing should be changed - if anything the threshold should be lowered.
ReplyDeletehttp://62.128.57.2/Olive/AM3/Israel/Default.htm?href=ITD%2F2009%2F02%2F23&pageno=29&view=document
I would agree that district elections would be preferable if the commission that establishes the districts is truly by-pratisan and politically neutral and promises to not engage in any gerry-mandering and sets up districts in a perfect grid - the way they did them in Iowa - and that this procedure is enshrined in the Basic Law: Knesset with a supermajority of 80% to change the method of establishing districts and that it states clearly that this provision of the Basic Law: Knesset supercedes any provisions of any other Basic Law or the Declaration of Indepedence of the State of Israel, and any rights granted thereon.
Otherwise any tinkering with the electoral system is - by default - bound to favor the left and elites - which is why it is so refreshing to hear a member of the elites such as HaCohen come out against reform