Israeli legislative election, 1959

Elections for the fourth Knesset were held in Israel on 3 November, 1959. Voter turnout was 79.5%.

Results

¹ The General Zionists and the Progressive Party merged to form the Liberal Party

² The Religious Torah Front split into its two constituent parts, Agudat Israel and Agudat Israel Workers

Non-qualifiers

The following parties ran for election, but did not pass the electoral threshold of 1% (9,693 votes):
*Independents
*Independent Faction for Israeli Arabs
*Israeli Arab Labour Party
*Union of North African Immigrants (see Wadi Salib events)
*National Union
*New Immigrant Front
*Progress and Work
*Sephardim and Oriental Communities
*Socialist Union
*Sepharadi National Party
*The Holocaust Handicapped and Injured Faction
*Third Power
*Yemenite Faction

The Fourth Knesset

The fourth Knesset started with David Ben-Gurion's Mapai party forming the ninth government on 17 December 1959. His coalition included the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda, the Progressive Party and the three Israeli Arab parties, Progress and Development, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Agriculture and Development. The government had 16 ministers. Mapai's Kadish Luz became the Speaker of the Knesset.

The government collapsed when Ben-Gurion resigned on 31 January 1961, over a motion of no-confidence brought by Herut and the General Zionists concerning the Lavon Affair. After Ben-Gurion was unable to form a new government new elections were called. At only one year and nine months, the fourth Knesset is the shortest Knesset term to date.

External links

* [http://www.knesset.gov.il/review/ReviewPage.aspx?kns=4&lng=3 Historical overview of the Fourth Knesset] Knesset website
* [http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_res4.htm Elections to the Fourth Knesset] Knesset website
* [http://www.knesset.gov.il/history/eng/eng_hist4_s.htm Factional and Government Make-Up of the Fourth Knesset] Knesset website