Meretz

Israel Election 2026: What does Yair Golan’s Democrats party stand for?

“If I put this ballot in the box, what government, policies, and political reality am I helping create?”

Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats party, with party members following the announcement of the results of The Democrats party primaries ahead of the upcoming elections, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 20, 2026.
(L-R): Yair Golan, Gilad Kariv

No. 47: Yair Golan and Gilad Kariv: Reviving Israel’s fractured Left

Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats party, with party members following the announcement of the results of The Democrats party primaries ahead of the upcoming elections, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 20, 2026.

Yair Golan's Democrats list for the Knesset cements Labor's shift to the far Left - opinion

Leader of the Democrats party Yair Golan leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on June 15, 2026.

Democrats Party breaks record of 75,000 members, sets date for primaries ahead of elections


Israeli-Arab partnership is doomed, Netanyahu always come first - opinion

I am leaving Meretz with the terrible realization that the only Jewish partner in the Israeli parliament has left the mutual cause of living together as equals.

 THE WRITER votes in the Knesset plenum against legislation aimed at extending the civilian status of Israelis living in the West Bank, in June.

Israel elections: Shaked passes electoral threshold, Meretz does not - poll

The latest poll ahead of Israel's elections leaves opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc with 59 seats, not including the Zionist Spirit party.

 Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked was given flowers after annoucing a joint run with Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel as the Zionist Spirit party on July 27, 2022

Open investigation into Netanyahu-Channel 14 connections -Zehava Galon

One of the prime candidates for leadership of the Meretz Party, she dubbed the new findings "Case 14,000."

 Zehava Galon, former head of the Meretz party.

Israel Elections: Future of Meretz hangs in the balance - analysis

Zehava Galon and Yair Golan, the two Meretz leadership candidates, represent two sharply different visions for the future of the party.

Outgoing Meretz head and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem on February 28, 2022

Israel election poll: Zionist Spirit crosses electoral threshold, no change to blocs

Shaked, who spoke against a narrow right-wing government, could hand Benjamin Netanyahu the keys to the Prime Minister's Office, a new N12 poll found.

 Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked was given flowers after annoucing a joint run with Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel as the Zionist Spirit party on July 27, 2022

Zehava Galon, Yair Golan spar over defining Meretz as Zionist

Following statements from Zehava Galon last week regarding Zionism and Meretz, her fellow leadership candidate Yair Golan took to Facebook to criticize her.

  Zahava Gal attends a Constitution, Law, and Justice, Committee meeting in the Israeli parliament on February 23, 2016.

Israel elections: Both blocs still fail to form a coalition - poll

The results of the latest poll leave Netanyahu's bloc with 60 seats and the opposing bloc with either 54 or 53 seats.

A woman casts her ballot as Israelis vote in a parliamentary election, at a polling station in Tel Aviv, Israel April 9, 2019

Israel elections: Israel is in for a wild campaign season - opinion

In Israel, every day is dramatic and this is true all the more so in politics. This campaign season will be primal and highly charged.

 BENNY GANTZ, Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett in the Knesset last month getting ready for elections.

Israel's 25th Knesset elections: Ideological or strategic voting? - opinion

The upcoming election presents an interesting dichotomy for left-wing voters.

IN THE current situation none of us – to whichever side of the political spectrum one belongs – can afford not to take strategic considerations into account, side by side with ideological considerations.

Zehava Galon announces candidacy for Meretz primaries

The former Meretz head stressed that this was "not an easy decision."

 Zehava Galon, former head of the Meretz Party