Knesset members are expected to make it tougher for others to join their ranks Tuesday, by voting to raise the threshold for entering the Knesset to 3.25 percent of valid votes in a general election. It was not yet clear how all the Hatnuah and Habayit Hayehudi MKs were planning to vote on the so-called Governance Bill. Monday’s debate on the bill took place without the opposition MKs, who were boycotting the session. Several Hatnuah MKs were critical of the governance bill, which some say will reduce the number of Arab MKs because there are far fewer Arab voters than Jewish ones, making it harder for Arab candidates to get enough votes to push them over the threshold.
“This law is meant to limit the presence of Arab parties in the Knesset, and that’s a bad mistake,” said MK Amram Mitzna of Hatnuah. “It’s not right and it’s not worthy.”
The governance bill “is not what its name says it is,” Mitzna added. “It isn’t meant to bring about any improvement in governance. What does blocking small groups from being represented in the Knesset have to do with governance? Governance, as I understand, would first of all be as even Yesh Atid promised in its platform – that the head of the largest party would form the government. Where did that clause go?”
Full Article: Knesset expected to raise electoral threshold to 3.25% – National Israel News | Haaretz.