Yair Golan informs Einav Zangauker he will not use reserved spots for candidates
The mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, a prominent figure in the hostage release protests, considered running with The Democrats. However, party chairman Yair Golan confirmed he would not use his reserved spot quota to avoid displacing candidates elected in the primaries.
After considering a run for office with The Democrats party, chairman Yair Golan informed Einav Zangauker on Thursday: "I do not intend to use the right to reserve spots on the list."
According to political sources, Zangauker aimed to join The Democrats and hoped to secure one of the spots reserved for the party leader. However, members of the list recently exerted significant pressure on Golan to refrain from using reserved spots, arguing that it would displace candidates elected through the primaries. List members contended that most candidates under consideration lacked the electoral value to increase the party's mandate count, making the use of reserved spots unjustified. Consequently, Golan clarified to Zangauker that she would not be able to run on the party's list for the next Knesset.
On January 9, Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker and a prominent leader in the protest movement, had stated that "it can be declared that she is entering politics." She noted at the time that she was still evaluating her options and had received offers from various parties, including Likud.
"I understood that politics in the State of Israel is rotten to the core, that everyone who wears a suit and tie and pretends to be a politician, in the end, when he reaches the coveted chair, does not act for the benefit of the population," she said in a media interview.
In The Democrats' primaries held on July 20, over 97,000 members voted. Incumbent Knesset members retained their positions, political activist Yair (Yaya) Fink secured 5th place, Major General (res.) Nimrod Shefer reached 11th place, and candidate Naor Narkis failed to secure a realistic spot. Golan praised the results, describing the list as "the spearhead of the correction camp."
