1961 Israeli legislative election

1961 Israeli legislative election

← 1959 15 August 1961 1965 →
Turnout	81.57% ( 0.03 pp)
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– Mapai David Ben-Gurion 34.69 42 −5 Herut Menachem Begin 13.76 17 0 Liberal Pinchas Rosen 13.63 17 +3 Mafdal Haim-Moshe Shapira 9.81 12 0 Mapam Meir Ya'ari 7.51 9 0 Ahdut HaAvoda Yisrael Galili 6.57 8 +1 Maki Shmuel Mikunis 4.18 5 +2 Agudat Yisrael Yitzhak-Meir Levin 3.69 4 PAI Kalman Kahana 1.93 2 Cooperation and Brotherhood Diyab Obeid 1.92 2 0 Progress and Development Ahmed A-Dahar 1.59 2 0 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Prime Minister before Prime Minister after David Ben-Gurion Mapai David Ben-Gurion Mapai

Elections for the fifth Knesset were held in Israel on 15 August 1961. Voter turnout was 81.6%.^[1]

The table below lists the parliamentary factions represented in the 4th Knesset.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Mapai	349,330	34.69	42	−5
	Herut	138,599	13.76	17	0
	Liberal Party	137,255	13.63	17	+3
	National Religious Party	98,786	9.81	12	0
	Mapam	75,654	7.51	9	0
	Ahdut HaAvoda	66,170	6.57	8	+1
	Maki	42,111	4.18	5	+2
	Agudat Yisrael	37,178	3.69	4	0
	Poalei Agudat Yisrael	19,428	1.93	2	0
	Cooperation and Brotherhood	19,342	1.92	2	0
	Progress and Development	16,034	1.59	2	0
	Progress and Work	3,561	0.35	0	0
	Religious Sephardim List	3,181	0.32	0	New
	Supporters of Democracy	335	0.03	0	New
Total		1,006,964	100.00	120	0
Valid votes		1,006,964	97.10
Invalid/blank votes		30,066	2.90
Total votes		1,037,030	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,271,285	81.57
Source: IDI, Nohlen et al.

During the Knesset term, eight MKs broke away from Mapai to establish Rafi and two MKs left Maki to establish Rakah. Herut and the Liberal Party merged to form Gahal. Seven Liberal Party members unhappy with the decision (largely former Progressive Party members) broke away to form the Independent Liberals.

The fifth Knesset started with David Ben-Gurion's Mapai party forming the tenth government on 2 November 1961. His coalition included the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Agudat Israel Workers, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, and had 13 ministers. Kadish Luz of Mapai was appointed Knesset Speaker. The government collapsed when Ben-Gurion resigned on 16 June 1963 citing personal reasons, but in reality was annoyed at a perceived lack of support from his colleagues. He later broke away from Mapai with several colleagues to form Rafi.

Levi Eshkol took over Mapai and formed the eleventh government on 26 June 1963 with the same coalition partners as previously, but one more minister. The government resigned on 10 December 1964 when Ben-Gurion demanded that members of the Supreme Court investigate the Lavon Affair.

Eshkol formed the twelfth government a week later on 22 December 1964 with the same coalition partners and ministers as previously.

The fifth Knesset was notable for the coalescing of the two major right-wing parties (Herut and the Liberal Party) to form an electoral block (Gahal) capable of threatening Mapai's hegemony in Israeli politics. Gahal, which by then had become Likud, finally overtook Mapai (which had merged into the Alignment) in the 1977 elections.

• Historical overview of the Fifth Knesset Knesset website
• Election results Knesset website
• The Fifth Knesset Knesset website