1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election

1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election

3 June 1997
Turnout69.2%
 
Candidate Ehud Barak Yossi Beilin
Percentage 50.3% 28.5%
 
Candidate Shlomo Ben-Ami Efraim Sneh
Percentage 14.2% 6.6%

Leader before election

Shimon Peres

Elected Leader

Ehud Barak

The 1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election was held on 3 June 1997[1] to elect the leader of the Israeli Labor Party. It saw the election of Ehud Barak.

Background

The leadership vote took place a year after Shimon Peres' narrow defeat in the 1996 Israeli prime ministerial election. After this defeat, Peres decided to not run for reelection as party leader.[2]

Member of the Knesset Uzi Baram initially sought the leadership, but withdrew in December 1996 and endorsed Barak.[3][4]

Results

69.2% of the 164,837 general party members that were eligible to vote participated in the election.[1]

1997 Israeli Labor Party leadership election[1]
Candidate Votes %
Ehud Barak 50.3
Yossi Beilin 28.5
Shlomo Ben-Ami 14.2
Ephraim Sneh 6.6
Turnout {{{votes}}} 69.2%

References

  1. ^ a b c Kenig, Ofer (2009). "Democratizing Party Leadership Selection in Israel: A Balance Sheet". Israel Studies Forum. 24 (1): 62–81. ISSN 1557-2455. JSTOR 41805011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Beloved abroad, polarizing at home, Peres was the peace-making face of Israel", The Times of Israel, September 28, 2016
  3. ^ "⁨MIDEAST REPORT Uzi Baram drops bid for Labor's top spot". Jewish News of Northern California (in Hebrew). 1997-01-03. Retrieved 2025-09-13 – via National Library of Israel.
  4. ^ Konig, Sarah (1996-12-31). "Baram decides not to run, backs Barak". The Jerusalem Post. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-13 – via Internet Archive.