The Shas Phenomenon and Religious Parties in the 1999 Elections

Etta Bick

This article studies the religious parties in the 1999 elections, with the main focus being the upsurge in political support for Shas, the Sephardic orthodox party. It analyses the realignment of voters in the elections, particularly the Sephardim in development towns and post-1948 cities and supporters of the NRP (the National Religious Party). It examines the salient issues that influenced voter choice as well as structural factors such as the Israeli election law and the political strategies of competing parties. It relates to the staying power of the UTJ (United Torah Judaism party) and its measured success in expanding its circle of supporters. The essay also focuses on those relations between the lay and religious leadership within each of the parties which have had an impact on their positions on the issues and on the strategies of their campaigns. Lastly, it assesses the impact of the realignment of the parties on Israel’s political system and on future issues which will be on Israel’s political agenda.