Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition is reportedly considering lowering the threshold for entry into the Knesset amid concerns that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party would not beat the bar in the next elections.

With polls consistently showing a close race between his coalition and the anti-Netanyahu bloc, the premier is said to be worried that Smotrich’s lack of popularity with the public will lead to wasted votes at the next elections, currently scheduled for October 2026.

According to a Channel 12 report on Sunday, the coalition is therefore considering lowering the minimum electoral threshold that a party must cross in order to enter the Knesset.

At present, a party that wishes to enter the 120-seat Knesset must receive at least 3.25% of the nationwide vote.  This has been the case since 2014, when the minimum threshold was raised from 2%.

The coalition believes, however, that it has the necessary votes to once again alter the electoral threshold, Channel 12 reported. Any piece of legislation relating to the issue would need to pass three votes in parliament to take effect.

But the ultra-Orthodox Shas party is opposed to the move, the network said, as it fears a lower electoral threshold could also enable the entry of other ultra-Orthodox parties that would sap its power.

Talks are underway to secure Shas’s backing for the proposal, the report said.

The coalition has yet to decide on where to set the new minimum........

© The Times of Israel