Israeli legislative election, 1961

Elections for the 5th Knesset

15 August 1961

Party Leader % Seats ± Mapai David Ben-Gurion 34.7% 42 -5 Herut Menachem Begin 13.8% 17 0 Liberal Party Peretz Bernstein 13.6% 17 +3 National Religious Party Haim-Moshe Shapira 9.8% 12 0 Mapam Meir Ya'ari 7.5% 9 0 Ahdut HaAvoda Yisrael Galili 6.6% 8 +1 Maki Shmuel Mikunis 4.2% 5 +2 Agudat Yisrael Yitzhak-Meir Levin 3.7% 4 Poalei Agudat Yisrael Kalman Kahana 1.9% 2 Cooperation and Brotherhood Diyab Obeid 1.9% 2 0 Progress and Development Ahmed A-Dahar 1.6% 2 0

This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Prime Minister before Prime Minister after David Ben Gurion Mapai David Ben Gurion Mapai

Elections for the fifth Knesset were held in Israel on 15 August 1961. Voter turnout was 81.6%.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/−
Mapai ¹	349,330	34.7	42	−5
Herut ²	138,599	13.8	17	0
Liberal Party ²	137,255	13.6	17	+3
National Religious Party	98,786	9.8	12	0
Mapam	75,654	7.5	9	0
Ahdut HaAvoda	66,170	6.6	8	+1
Maki ³	42,111	4.2	5	+2
Agudat Yisrael	37,178	3.7	4	0
Poalei Agudat Yisrael	19,428	1.9	2	0
Cooperation and Brotherhood	19,342	1.9	2	0
Progress and Development	16,034	1.6	2	0
Progress and Work	3,561	0.4	0	0
Religious Sephardim List	3,181	0.3	0	New
Supporters of Democracy	335	0.0	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	30,066	-	-	-
Total	1,037,030	100	120	0
Source: Nohlen et al.

¹ Eight MKs broke away from Mapai to establish Rafi.

² Herut and the Liberal Party merged to form Gahal. Seven Liberal Party members unhappy with the decision (largely former Progressive Party members) broke away to form the Independent Liberals.

³ Two MKs broke away from Maki to establish Rakah.

The Fifth Knesset

See also: List of members of the fifth Knesset

Tenth government

Main article: Tenth government of Israel

The fifth Knesset started with David Ben-Gurion's Mapai party forming the tenth government on 2 November 1961. His coalition included the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Agudat Israel Workers, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, and had 13 ministers. Kadish Luz of Mapai was appointed Knesset Speaker. The government collapsed when Ben-Gurion resigned on 16 June 1963 citing personal reasons, but in reality was annoyed at a perceived lack of support from his colleagues. He later broke away from Mapai with several colleagues to form Rafi.

Eleventh government

Main article: Eleventh government of Israel

Levi Eshkol took over Mapai and formed the eleventh government on 26 June 1963 with the same coalition partners as previously, but one more minister. The government resigned on 10 December 1964 when Ben-Gurion demanded that members of the Supreme Court investigate the Lavon Affair.

Twelfth government

Main article: Twelfth government of Israel

Eshkol formed the twelfth government a week later on 22 December 1964 with the same coalition partners and ministers as previously.

The fifth Knesset was notable for the coalescing of the two major right-wing parties (Herut and the Liberal Party) to form an electoral block (Gahal) capable of threatening Mapai's hegemony in Israeli politics. Gahal, which by then had become Likud, finally overtook Mapai (which had merged into the Alignment) in the 1977 elections.

External links

• Historical overview of the Fifth Knesset Knesset website
• Election results Knesset website
• The Fifth Knesset Knesset website