Two facts to mark the start of election week:
1. Since the electoral threshold was raised to 3.25%, no entirely new party made up of political newcomers from outside the political establishment has ever crossed the threshold.
Every party that crossed the threshold was either a merger of a new political movement with existing parties (like Blue and White, which brought together Gantz and Lapid) or a new party founded by veteran politicians.
2. The only new parties that have crossed the electoral threshold were Kulanu, led by Moshe Kahlon in 2015, and New Hope, led by Gideon Sa’ar in 2021.
Those that failed to cross the threshold:
Gesher, led by Orly Levy; Economic Freedom, led by Abir Kara; the New Right, led by Bennett; Zehut, led by Feiglin; and Yachad, led by Eli Yishai.
A reminder and a disclaimer: Sometimes in life, things don’t happen—until they do.