Open primaries for all Israelis?
What exactly is that?
Why should I vote?
In Israel, people are not used to true democracy. Our democracy is more technical than intrinsic. We do not choose people. Instead, once in four years, we choose an impersonal political party. The Knesset Members are not chosen by the people, but rather, by their party heads or a small group of members or party insiders.
In the US, for example, every citizen has his congressman, whose seat is directly influenced by his constituency. If he does not keep his promises, if he does not give the citizen the feeling that he is constantly and energetically working on the issues for which he was elected, he will simply not be re-elected.
In Israel, by contrast, the party Central Committee members have an open door to the ministers and Knesset Members who are indebted to them. But the average citizen has no personal representative in the Knesset.
Some parties don’t even hold primaries. In those parties, the situation is even worse. There the Knesset Members are nothing more than rubber stamps for the party chairman’s whims. Any trend or incidental poll can turn the party policies around. The individual voter is insignificant in those parties.
The Zehut Open Primaries – open to all Israeli citizens - herald a new political culture in Israel. They herald true, genuine democracy.
Zehut has a very detailed platform and vision – the likes of which have not been seen in our political milieu. Zehut’s candidates for the Knesset are, of course, party members and committed to its platform. But it is specifically Zehut’s clear identity that makes it possible for us to allow all Israeli citizens to rank our candidates.
We really do not mind if a woman, for example, who does not agree with Zehut’s ideology and does not plan to vote for our party in the general elections, votes in our primaries to advance women in politics. It is fine with us if a member of a different party votes in Zehut’s Open Primaries for the candidate who, for example, will advance economic reform that is important to him, or for the Zehut candidate who will advance the voucher method for schools or for any of our other amazing, experienced candidates.
It doesn’t bother us because in Zehut, we understand that the State is above the party. It is only in dictatorships that they think otherwise.
And it doesn’t bother us, because it will only help us. Zehut will not lose its ideological direction, but its Knesset list will represent a more varied public and will thus be more attractive come election day.
In this way, we create a party that is full of content – not just a meaningless “trend party”. Our party’s Knesset Members will draw their power from the fact that they were directly elected by the citizens. They will be the Knesset Members who are indebted directly to their voters and committed to them.
Zehut’s Open Primaries give every citizen the power of a Central Committee party member.
Because when we vote for them, they work for us.
You can also register to vote in the Zehut Open Primaries. No need to become a party member. It is completely free of charge.
On January 29th, everyone will vote from their computers or cell phones.
Please join us! https://app.evote.pro/reg/26/en/100
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