Israeli Electoral System

- A nation-wide, proportional representation, system
- Citizens vote for a party, which is then awarded seats based on percentage received
- Party chooses who will fill the seats
- One of the only in the world operated to such an extreme
- Critics argue that the system fractures the government and isolates voters

The Israeli Electoral System is based on nation-wide proportional representation. This means that voters choose a party and seats are awarded to that party based on the percentage of votes received. A party must receive a minimum of 2 percent of the vote to win a seat. There are few other countries in the world that operate a proportionally representative parliamentary system to the extreme that Israel does.
February 10, 2009: Israel held a snap general election to determine the ruling party of the state. This comes following Ehud Olmert's investigation on corruption charges. Initial exit polls indicate that the Kadima party lead by Tzipi Livni is in the lead. Trailing the Kadima party is the Likud Party.The Huffington Post: Israel election results: Kadima ahead in exit polls (February 10, 2008) As of February 11, 2009, both Likud's Netanyahu and Kadima's Livini had declared victory for their respective party in the general election.
Criticism of the system

Critics point out that this system disenfranchises voters because they are often not able to vote for an individual candidate to represent them. Moreover, it is argued that the system has led to a fractured government consisting of a dozen political parties or more. They also point to the fact that few governments have last their four year term as a sign that the system fosters gridlock and collapse.