Young Israelis Are Drifting Away from Democracy

By Prof. Asif Efrat

A democratic regime rests on a series of institutions, such as fair elections, an independent judiciary, and a free press. But democracy requires one more central element: public support. For a democratic regime to function and survive over time, and to successfully confront the threats against it, the public must be committed to democracy: most citizens must believe that democracy is preferable to any alternative form of government, and most must support basic democratic values of equality and fundamental rights. 

Without public support for democracy and its foundational values, the seeds are sown for the erosion of the democratic regime. Measuring public support for democracy thus helps us assess the resilience of democracy. 

The support of young citizens for democracy carries special significance: young people constitute the next generation of voters, leaders, and policymakers — their attitudes are what will shape the functioning of democracy in the years ahead.
The Institute for Liberty and Responsibility examined the democratic attitudes of young Israelis aged 18-35, compared to the older population aged 36 and above. The examination was conducted through a survey carried out on May 10-14, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,511 Jewish and Arab respondents. Due to difficulty in obtaining a representative sample of the young Arab population, the analysis below includes Jewish respondents only.

The findings point to a lower commitment among young Israelis to the democratic regime and its basic values. For example, only 74% of young people agree that democracy is always preferable to any other form of government, compared to 84% of older Israelis who hold this view. Among older adults, 29% agree that effective solutions to public problems are sometimes needed even if these solutions are not democratic; among young people, 39% are willing to adopt non-democratic policy solutions.
Young people also show less commitment to freedom of expression and a greater willingness to silence critical voices. A majority of young people — 53% — believe that an Israeli organization that harshly criticizes the state should be banned from operating. Among older adults, support for silencing criticism stands at 39%.

But the largest gaps between young and older Israelis are found on the issue of equality. Across the board — regarding women, Arabs, and the LGBTQ community — young people show less commitment to equal rights.
The smallest gap is found regarding the LGBTQ community: 80% of older adults support granting equal rights to same-sex couples, compared to only 69% among young people.
A wider gap emerges regarding equality for women: 89% of older adults favor ensuring equality between men and women; only 74% of young people support this.

We find the widest gap of all in attitudes concerning equality for Arab citizens. 52% of older adults believe that equality between Jews and Arabs should be ensured, compared to only 30% among young people. On the most direct and blunt question — whether Jewish citizens in Israel should have more rights than non-Jews — 58% of young people answer in the affirmative, compared to 38% of older adults. Consider the implications: more than half of young people believe that Jews should enjoy superior status and greater rights compared to those who are not Jewish.
The full data can be found here.

The findings, then, are bleak. Young Israelis clearly show less support for democracy as a form of government and less commitment to basic democratic values, foremost among them the value of equality. If we want to identify a silver lining in the data, we might say, perhaps, that things are likely to change as members of the younger generation mature: as they grow older and settle into their views in the coming years, their appreciation for democracy will increase. But unfortunately, there is no certainty that this will happen. American research shows lower support for democracy among young people in the United States — support that does not strengthen later as people age. Moreover, another study shows that age cohorts tend to maintain consistent attitudes over the years.

In recent years, Israel has been engaged in a struggle for democracy against forces attempting to undermine it. This struggle has so far focused on trying to protect democratic institutions, chief among them the judicial system. The data we collected reveal that efforts to fortify democracy must also be directed toward strengthening democratic support among the young public. This can be done in various ways, such as educational programs and activities that encourage democratic participation. It is especially important to protect young people on social media, where they are exposed to false information and anti-democratic influences.

But the main point is that we must invest in strengthening public support for democracy, and we must do so now. If we fail to do so, the citizens and leaders of Israel's future will have a weak democratic consciousness — one that does not allow for the existence of genuine democracy.

Prof. Asif Efrat is a senior research fellow at the Institute for Liberty and Responsibility at Reichman University.