Israel's Fading Footprint of Women in Government

From Trailblazer to Stagnation: A Look at Female Political Representation

Golda Meir shattered glass ceilings. In 1956, she became Israel's first female foreign minister, and in 1969, its first female prime minister—a rare feat globally at the time. Yet, the decades since have witnessed a disheartening regression in women's leadership within Israeli government.

A recent study by Professor Ofer Kenig, a Research Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, paints a stark picture. Titled "Women's Representation in Israeli Politics: Analysis for 2025," the analysis reveals Israel's lagging progress compared to other OECD nations in promoting women's political participation.

Since 2015, the number of women in the Knesset has plateaued between 28 and 30, a figure that sits a concerning 9.8 percentage points below the OECD average. Israel, a nation of the 38-country organization designed to tackle significant global issues, appears to be falling short in achieving gender balance within its own leadership.

A Concerning Decline in Cabinet Representation

The past three Israeli cabinets tell a consistent story of underrepresentation. The Netanyahu-Gantz cabinet (2020-2021) included a mere eight women (23.5%). The Bennett-Lapid cabinet (2021-2022) saw a slight uptick to nine women (33.3%). However, the current cabinet (as of March 2025) has taken a significant step backward, with only five women comprising a meager 16.7%.

Globally, this places Israel near the bottom of the list. While countries like Finland (63%) and Norway (50%) demonstrate significant female leadership within their cabinets, Israel lags behind, barely ahead of Japan.

The legacy of Golda Meir, who resigned in 1974, remains a poignant reminder of unrealized potential. For the past 16 years, none of Israel's top political positions—prime minister, foreign minister, or defense minister—have been held by a woman.

Public Opinion: A Call for Change?

A survey conducted by Anat Thon Ashkenazy, Director of the Israel Democracy Institute’s Center for Democratic Values and Institutions and the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research, reveals a complex public perspective. Polling 766 Israelis over the age of 18, the survey explored opinions on female representation in political leadership.

While 70% of respondents generally supported greater female representation, this support fractured along political lines. Among Jewish respondents, 80% of left-leaning, 83% of centrist, and only 50% of right-leaning voters expressed a desire for more women in politics. This disparity highlights the ideological hurdles in achieving gender balance.

Furthermore, support wavered when respondents were asked about their preference for parties with equal representation, dropping to 65% overall. Notably, only 50% of right-leaning respondents favored such parties, compared to 80% of left-leaning participants. Despite a general desire for more women in leadership, the commitment to concrete action seems less certain.

Encouragingly, 65% of respondents believed that increasing the number of women in the Knesset would positively impact the well-being of women in Israel, suggesting a recognition of the broader societal benefits of female political engagement.