Yair Lapid Unveils Yesh Atid List Amid Alliance with Naftali Bennett

Against the backdrop of a severe internal crisis and a wave of resignations, Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid revealed on Saturday evening the party's candidate list for the upcoming Knesset elections, where it will run as part of a joint slate with Naftali Bennett's "Bihad" party.

Yesh Atid officials explained that the upcoming campaign places a strong emphasis on necessary party renewal and the promotion of a younger generation of lawmakers who stood out in key Knesset committees during the last term.

The Joint Slate Structure

Under the merger agreement, Lapid's Yesh Atid will receive a 40% representation on the joint list with Naftali Bennett.

According to sources, the top of the joint list will be structured as follows: the first spot goes to Bihad chairman Naftali Bennett, followed by Yair Lapid in second. The third spot will be held by a Bennett representative, fourth by Meirav Ben-Ari, and fifth by another Bennett representative. Retired IDF Major General Noam Tibon takes the sixth spot, followed by two more Bennett representatives. Meirav Cohen is placed ninth, followed by two additional Bennett nominees. This distribution guarantees Lapid four spots in the top ten and a similar ratio in the second tier.

The official Yesh Atid internal list is as follows:

1. Yair Lapid

2. Meirav Ben-Ari

3. Noam Tibon

4. Meirav Cohen

5. Ram Ben-Barak

6. Naor Shiri

7. Vladimir Beliak

8. Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu

9. Yasmin Sacks-Friedman

10. Neta Attias

11. Moshe "Kinley" Tur-Paz

12. Simon Davidson

13. Shelly Tal Meron

14. Roni Malkai

15. Matti Harcavi

Wave of Veteran Resignations

The push for a younger leadership generation has led to a cascade of retirements among the party's founders and veteran lawmakers. Out of the 24 seats Yesh Atid won four years ago, only 12 incumbent MKs are expected to remain on the upcoming ballot.

Recognizing they would not secure realistic spots on the joint list with Bennett, several senior figures announced their temporary retirement from political life. These include former Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy, Meir Cohen, Karin Elharrar, Boaz Toporovsky, and former minister Yoel Razvozov. Orna Barbivai previously left to run for mayor of Tel Aviv. Elazar Stern moved to Gadi Eisenkot's camp, while Idan Roll retired from politics after briefly forming the "National Majority" faction. Yoav Segalovich left the party to align with Mansour Abbas. MKs Tatiana Mazarsky and Debbie Biton announced they would not run on the list but will remain in the party.

Addressing the Crisis

In a message to party activists, Lapid defended the restructuring process:

"If we want to fix the country, there is no better way than to empower these people. They are experienced, tough, know how to work, and are proven doers. This past week was a demonstration of strength. This is what a tough group looks like, one that knows how to go through difficult weeks together to build a better future."

Yesh Atid entered this election cycle facing one of its worst crises since its inception, with polls predicting single-digit seats. While the merger with Bennett was designed to halt the political bleeding, sources note it has also slowed Bennett's own momentum, as a significant portion of his base has struggled to digest the political alliance with Lapid.