Project Director: Professor Asher Arian
Research Staff: Mr. Nir Atmor, Ms. Yael Hadar, Ms. Adi Livni
The Political Reform Program focuses on possible alternatives to different aspects of Israeli politics. Among the substantive issues that have been monitored and researched, are the performance of the government, the status of the Knesset, and the political parties, which represent the link between voters and the political echelon. In addition, the program examines citizen participation and involvement in politics, and puts forward political reforms aimed to reinforce the stability of Israeli democracy and promote democratic values.
Below are some examples of the Political Reform Program's main interests:
- Political Participation – The question of political participation in Israel, as in all of the Western democracies, is a major object of academic research and public discourse. The decrease in the number of voters in the general elections in recent years is a symptom of the weakening of formal political participation. Even so, there are many ways to be politically active, including the involvement of citizens in political parties and in the election of candidates, and online "virtual communities".
- Political Parties are an inseparable part of the democratic system, and are the main representatives of the public's interests in governance. The Political Reform program studies citizen participation in political parties from various perspectives, such as the funding of political parties, an analysis of the interaction between new and old parties, and internal party politics and the nomination process. Regarding this last issue, the program suggested ways to include citizens in the election of Knesset members.
- Models of Citizen Inclusion – The program examines volunteer organizations and political lobbies, the way they function and the effect they have on government policy, and how this important aspect of politics can be developed and promoted.
- Voter Behavior – Research conducted in this field deals with the electoral behavior of voting groups within Israeli society, such as religious, secular, immigrant, Arab, young, women etc. In the context of immigrant voting, for example, the different political structures in Israel and the Former Soviet Union is an important question. More research focuses on the ramifications of cancelling the direct election of prime minister for voter behavior and for the structure of political life.
- Elections, Political Parties and the Internet –The 2006 elections were the first time almost all the parties had websites, which served as a means of communication with voters and a vehicle for parties to disseminate their political platforms. During these elections, a unique research project was conducted in order to analyze the parties’ websites. The study posed many questions: What kind of template did parties choose for their sites? What did party websites offer voters during the elections? Do online campaigns have any unique characteristics?
- Completed Studies – Two controversial reforms were implemented in Israeli politics – the direct elections of prime minister (which was implemented three times – in the years 1996, 1999, and 2001 and then annulled), and the primary elections within the parties. Both of these reforms had a negative effect on the government's ability to function properly and led to the erosion of democratic values and norms in Israeli society, in general, and amongst Israel's elected officials, in particular. The direct election was repealed, but primaries retain their status. The studies investigated these topics and developed alternative models for political reform based on parliamentary democracy.