Before the elections for the 21st Knesset, Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael submitted a request to split into two separate factions.
In a letter sent by Knesset Chairman Eliezer Mozes to Knesset House Committee Chairman Mickey Zohar it stated, "In accordance with the provisions of s. 59 (2) of the Knesset Law, we request approval by the House Committee for splitting the United Torah and Shabbat Judaism faction into two factions Agudath Yisrael and Degel Hatorah," he said.
UTJ explains "the request to split the factions for the Knesset Committee is a well-known and coordinated procedure between the factions, without any significance to the way they run in the upcoming elections."