Ben-Gvir's party gains among young Israeli voters before 27 October election
Polls point to growing support for Jewish Power among younger voters, but surveys also show a divided electorate and no clear majority for either main bloc.
Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party is gaining support among younger Israelis ahead of the country's 27 October general election, according to polls reported by Reuters on 20 October. More than half a million first-time voters are expected to cast ballots, the BBC reported, making their choices consequential in a close race.
Reuters reported that Jewish Power's appeal has extended beyond its established base of militant settlers in the occupied West Bank to younger, urban voters. An Agam Labs poll at Hebrew University found the party's supporters were younger than the average Israeli voter and that as many as one-third would be voting for the first time.
What polls say about first-time voters
A poll for Yedioth Ahronoth cited by the BBC found that more than 16% of first-time voters planned to back far-right parties, either Jewish Power or Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism. A separate survey for Channel 12 found that almost three-quarters of young respondents described themselves as right or centre-right. Those measures capture different things: intended votes for particular parties and respondents' broader political identification.
The BBC also cited survey findings that more than 80% of first-time voters said they were likely to vote. Its correspondent Lucy Williamson met young Ben-Gvir supporters during his campaign, including 20-year-old Mordechai, who said: ‘Itamar Ben Gvir gives me a sense of security.’ Yet the BBC reported that young voters remain divided over who can protect Israel's security and identity.
Reuters interviewed Gavriel Marmon, an 18-year-old first-time voter from Beit Shemesh, who said he had changed his view of Ben-Gvir after considering his positions. ‘I used to think he was a bit crazy, but then I actually looked at what he was saying, and it all made sense,’ Marmon told Reuters. Ben-Gvir declined to comment for the Reuters report.
Why Jewish Power's projected seats matter
Reuters reported that polls forecast Jewish Power could win eight or more seats while standing on its own. In the 2022 election, it relied on a joint list with two other far-right groups to clear the threshold for seats. An independent showing at that level would mark a change in the party's electoral position, though the vote has yet to take place.
The stakes extend beyond one party. Reuters reported that polls put both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the main Jewish-led opposition parties short of a majority. With neither side assured control, first-time voters' turnout and choices could help determine the balance after 27 October. The surveys cited by the BBC and Reuters do not establish how those voters will ultimately cast their ballots.
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Sources and context
- Israel's far right find fertile ground among first-time votersBBC News
- Israel's Ben-Gvir poised for election gains as young voters turn to far rightReuters, republished by Al-Monitor
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.