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1996 Meretz leadership election

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1996 Meretz leadership election

22 October 1996 1999 →
 
Candidate Yossi Sarid

Meretz leader before election

Shulamit Aloni

Meretz leader

Yossi Sarid

The 1996 Meretz leadership election was held on 22 October 1996.[1] It saw the election of Yossi Sarid to succeed Shulamit Aloni as the party's leader.[2] This was the first leadership election in the party's history.[2] The election was held by a vote of Meretz' Party Council.[2] Incumbent party leader Aloni had announced her retirement after Sarid had announced his intent to challenge her for party leadership. This came amid disputes between the party's leadership.[3]

Background

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Meretz was formed prior to the 1992 Israeli legislative election by an alliance of three left-wing political parties, Ratz, Mapam and Shinui, and was initially led by Ratz's chairwoman and long-time Knesset member Shulamit Aloni. The party proceeded to win twelve seats in the election, making it the third-largest in the Knesset. Meretz became the major coalition partner of Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party, helping pave the way for the Oslo Accords.[4] The party also picked up several ministerial portfolios; Aloni was made Minister of Education, then Minister of Communications and Science and Technology,[5] while other party members including Amnon Rubinstein, Yossi Sarid and Yair Tzaban received additional portfolios.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Former MK and minister Yossi Sarid dies at 75". Ynetnews.com. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Kenig, Ofer (2009). "Democratizing Party Leadership Selection in Israel: A Balance Sheet". Israel Studies Forum. 24 (1): 62–81. ISSN 1557-2455. JSTOR 41805011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  3. ^ Druckman, Yaron (24 January 2014). "Former Minister Shulamit Aloni dies at the age of 85". Ynetnews.com. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  4. ^ "משולה ועד זהבה: עלייתה ונפילתה של מרצ". Reshet 13 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Member of the Knesset Shulamit Aloni". Knesset. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Twenty-Fifth government". Knesset. Retrieved 8 March 2023.