Disconnection from Representatives: The Sense of Non-Representation Threatening Israeli Democracy

Dr. Shahaf Zamir, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Liberty and Responsibility, Reichman University

Representation is one of the cornerstones of democracy. According to the principle of representation, citizens entrust their power to elected officials, expecting them to act on behalf of their interests and values. Proper representation is what gives the public a sense of influence, involvement, and shared responsibility for the nation's fate. When the sense of representation erodes, trust in the political system also erodes, and political participation declines, putting democracy in danger.

Precisely in Israel – a country with a proportional electoral system, multiple party system and a moderate threshold– it appears that the sense of representation is being eroded. Surveys conducted by the Institute for Liberty and Responsibility show a disturbing picture: the Israeli public feels less represented.

In April 2022, during the Bennett-Lapid government, 41% of the survey respondents said that there was no party or politician representing them. By March 2023, following the judicial reform crisis, this figure climbed to 46%. However, a significant jump in the sense of non-representation occurred in March 2024, following a prolonged period of the "Iron Swords" war, when 52% of respondents experienced a sense of non-representation. Even though some recovery was recorded in March 2025, the proportion of the non-represented remained high.

The picture becomes even more severe when examining another question that tests the sense of representation from the political system as a whole: in April 2022, 59% felt that the system did not represent them. By March 2025, this figure jumped to 65%. In other words, almost two out of three citizens do not believe that the political system represents them.

These trends are not coincidental. They are directly connected to the political and security crises that have befallen Israel in recent years: governmental instability, acute identity struggles, social cleavages, and a noticeable distancing of political elites from the public. More seriously, the data shows that these feelings cross sectors and groups: Jews and Arabs, men and women, secular and religious– all feel to some degree or another that their elected representatives are distant from them.

These complicated feelings do not exist in a vacuum. They are influenced by the public discourse, and especially by the growing gap between the promises made in political campaigns and the functional reality of the system after elections. Many citizens repeatedly experience feelings of disappointment or betrayal when politicians they trusted form unexpected coalitions, abandon previous positions, or promote an agenda that is disconnected from the public's essential problems. This builds a self-feeding cycle: as trust decreases – the sense of alienation grows, and as alienation grows – it becomes harder to restore trust.

Moreover, lack of representation is not just a personal feeling but a phenomenon with structural implications. It could lead to increased support for anti-establishment alternatives, decreased adherence to democratic norms, and even justify for some groups extreme measures for reforming the government. In such a situation, even dangerous ideas – such as a strong leader who is not subject to public or judicial oversight – might find a receptive audience. The path to democratic restoration begins with recognizing that strengthening the sense of partnership and political participation is not a luxury but a necessary condition for governmental stability and a healthy society.

If this trend continues, we can expect a further decline in political participation, an intensification of public alienation, and even a weakening of the democratic system's foundations. When the public does not feel part of the system, it stops fighting for it.
The responsibility for fixing the situation lies not only with citizens but first and foremost with the political system. Politicians need to stop fortifying themselves in their camps and start truly listening. Profound change is required in the way decisions are made, while restoring a sense of influence to the public: strengthening intra-party democracy, promoting broader public participation in significant decisions, and ensuring transparency in actions, not just words.

The sense of lack of representation is not a marginal problem – it is a clear indicator that our democracy is sick, and that the time has come to begin healing.