The Knesset plenum approved on Monday evening a bill, proposed by MK David Amsalem (Likud), which would provide government funding for candidates in primary elections.
The bill, which required a special majority of 61 MKs, was passed with majority of 62 votes. 52 MKs voted against.
The bill provides for “an arrangement that will offer candidates in primary elections sources of state funding to finance their expenses, where candidates who are elected officials serving in the government or the Knesset will receive funding from the state treasury for their expenses, but will no longer be allowed to raise funds or receive any loans to finance expenses. "
The explanatory notes to the proposal state that "the many primaries that have been conducted in Israel show that alongside the many advantages stemming from this system, the system also suffers from many deficiencies and obstacles. One of the biggest criticisms of the primaries process concerns the financial aspects of the primaries, including funding, donations, and spending.”
Amsalem, who presented the bill at the plenum before the vote, said, "A Knesset member is not supposed to receive a donation from anyone. As far as I’m concerned that’s receiving a bribe. Some of the donors contribute to all the parties as some form of an investment. It is almost the most corrupt thing that happens in the country. If you receive money, not a cigar but money, so you'll be elected for a job, how can such a thing be legal?"
“I think that this bill is a proposal that seeks to clean up Israeli politics at least from some corruption," Amsalem added.