President Yochanan Plesner of the Israel Democracy Institute said on Thursday, "As haredim become a significant component of Israeli society, they become a tremendous challenge to the strength and prosperity of democracy in the State of Israel." Speaking in Jerusalem, he claimed that the religious community had "the lowest level of identification with democratic values" of any population group, explaining they were not educated on these values.
The former Kadima party Knesset member said the haredi parties were the perfect coalition partner, explaining, "If you give them what they want in their most important areas, they will give you the rest, and everyone who is involved in politics will internalize it very quickly and give them what they want." Advocating two party blocks, he said, "The electoral system must be changed in order to reduce the spirit of blackmail of the sectarian parties, and give a strong impetus to the political system that will create two blocs instead of dividing us into tribes."