MKs Gideon Sa'ar and Yifat Shasha-Biton from the Likud party submitted to the Knesset a proposal to change the method of election to the legislature.
According to the proposal, the electoral system will be changed so that half of the Knesset, 60 MKs, will be elected in regional elections, while the other half will be elected under the current system whereby citizens vote for the party lists.
The two justified their proposal by saying that "the State of Israel is experiencing a crisis of confidence between the electorate and the elected representatives. The voter votes for a list of candidates and cannot directly affect the identity of those who are elected. In addition, the current system in Israel leads to a situation in which the Israeli voter is not properly represented and does not have a direct representative in the Knesset from his area of residence. There is under-representation for certain areas in Israel, especially for the periphery."
"The bill will increase the quality of the relationship between voters and elected officials and the level of their responsibility towards the citizens. The division of the state into constituencies will lead to citizens' identification with their representatives and a more personal connection than in the current situation allows. This method may increase the participation of citizens in the democratic process and lead to an increase in voting rates in Knesset elections. Regional representation will strengthen the interests of areas that are not currently adequately represented," they said.