2018 Meretz leadership election

* * *

| <- 2015 | 22 March 2018 | 2019 ->

|
|

Turnout| 53.69%
|  |  |

|
|

Candidate  | Tamar Zandberg | Avi Buskila
Party  | Meretz | Meretz
Popular vote  | 12,112 | 4,851
Percentage  | 71.21% | 28.52%

* * *

| Meretz leader before election

Zehava Galon

| Meretz leader

Tamar Zandberg

|

An election was held for the leadership of the Meretz party on 22 March 2018. It saw the election of Tamar Zandberg.

## Background

[edit]

The vote was open to party members. Party membership increased by 12,000, to roughly 30,000, ahead of the vote.[1] Outgoing leader Galon wanted the election to use an open primary-style system in which any Israeli citizen could vote, regardless of party registration. The party wound up instead adopting a compromise presented by Tamar Zandberg, which saw the party allow anyone to register as a party member up to a month before the leadership election and the party's slate-selection primary, and be allowed to participate in those elections.[2]

## Candidates

[edit]

### On ballot

[edit]

* Avi Buskila, former secretary general of Peace Now[3]
* David Cashni
* Ofir Paz
* Tamar Zandberg, member of the Knesset since 2013[4]

### Withdrawn

[edit]

* Zehava Galon, incumbent leader of Meretz[5]
* Avi Dabush endorsed Zandberg[6]
* Ilan Gilon, member of the Knesset (1999–2003; since 2009) endorsed Zandberg[5][7]
* Emri Kalman, endorsed Buskila[citation needed]
* David Neve[citation needed]

## Results

[edit]

The party reported that 53.69% of eligible voters participated in the election.[8] The party reported that 130 polling stations across Israel were utilized for the vote.[8]

2018 Meretz leadership election[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|
|

| Meretz | Tamar Zandberg | 12,112  | 71.21
| Meretz | Avi Buskila  | 4,851  | 28.52
| Meretz | David Cashni  | 23  | 0.14
| Meretz | Ofir Paz  | 22  | 0.13
Turnout | 17,008  | 53.69

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "לקראת הבחירות לראשות מרצ: זינוק במספר המתפקדים למפלגה". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). 19 February 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
2. ^ Wootliff, Raoul (22 March 2018). "Party veteran, ex-Peace Now head face off in Meretz leadership race". www.timesofisrael.com. The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
3. ^ "מנכ"ל שלום עכשיו אבי בוסקילה הודיע כי יתמודד על ראשות מרצ". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). 14 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
4. ^ "חברת הכנסת תמר זנדברג הכריזה על התמודדות לראשות מרצ". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
5. ^ a b "גלאון וגילאון פרשו מהתמודדות לראשות מרצ". ynet (in Hebrew). 28 February 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
6. ^ "עוד מועמד לראשות מרצ פורש". ערוץ 7 (in Hebrew). 13 March 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
7. ^ "המרוץ במרצ: ח"כ אילן גילאון תומך בתמר זנדברג". ynet (in Hebrew). 13 March 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
8. ^ a b c "יו"ר מרצ: ח"כ תמר זנדברג | מרצ". meretz.org (in Hebrew). Meretz. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.