Right Bloc

Right Bloc (lit. "Right/Rightwards") ימינה
name	Modern Hebrew
Leader	Yitzchok Katz
Co-Deputy Chairman	Moshe Lippman
Co-Deputy Chairman	David Touro
Founded	August 25, 1975 (1975-08-25)
Headquarters	Yerushalayim, Yisrael
Ideology	Conservatism Torah Judaism Stronger monarchy Dati-interests Internal Factions: National conservatism Ordoliberalism Right-wing populism Welfare capitalism
Political position	Right (Center-right-to-Far-right)
Religion	Dati sector of Orthodox Judaism
Colors	Royal blue
Slogan	"Right Leadership. Right Policy. Right Direction."
Seats in the Royal Knesset	80 / 142

The Right Bloc, sometimes referred to as Yamina, is a political alliance of the leading Yisraeli right-wing parties - the right-wing Royalist Conservative Party, the socially conservative Torah Achdus party, and the far right League for New Judea. The Right Bloc, along with the Left Bloc, have existed in one form or another since late 1975 in advance of the 1976 general election in the aftermath of the Yarden Accords.

For the upcoming 2020 general elections, Yamina is down one party - the center-right Action Yisrael - that was apart of its political bloc in the 2012 elections and has switched to cross-endorse the center/center-left Con-Lib-splinter party the Alternative for Yisrael. The Right Bloc has a slight majority in Knesset, and with the unexpected entry of the United Center Bloc, polling suggests the party may expand its majority.

History

1970s

Main articles: Yarden Accords and Yarden revisionist movements

Organization

Rules and practices

Since its founding, the Yamina has been led by the Royalist Conservative Party, which is written into its bylaws as the "leading party of the right." During presidential years where there is an open seat, the Conservative presidential nominee becomes leader of the bloc upon his nomination. In years where there is an incumbent president, the incumbent serves as bloc leader. In midterm years when the President is not on the ballot, the leader of the Conservatives' Knesset caucus becomes the bloc leader.

The party leaders or chosen alternatives/representatives of other right-of-center parties that join the bloc become the co-deputy leaders.

While all the parties are responsible for their own fundraising, since the 1990s, the Conservatives have created joint fundraising committees to help raise and distribute funds to their coalition partners.

Continuity

Since the mid-1980s, the Conservatives and their contemporary allies maintain a coordinated standing committee in-between elections, in addition to any other liaising or mutual contacts they maintain between their Knesset caucuses and party organizations. This committee, usually called the "Right Bloc Election Committee," is often a coveted group to join, and ambitious members of third-party parties often seek to join it to broaden their appeal throughout the right-wing political world.

Right Bloc Election Committee fund-raises perpetually, including off-years when it organizes funds, staffers, advertising, election training, and other assistance to Right Bloc member-parties in District, local, and special elections.

Election results and current representation

Current representation

The political alliance is led by Royalist Conservative Party presidential nominee (and sitting Foreign Minister) Yitzchok Katz, who serves as the bloc's chairman, and the co-deputy chairmen are the Torah Achdus leader Moshe Lippman and Northern League leader David Touro. The Bloc has an executive board consisting of all the members of each party's executive councils.

Election results

Knesset

Since 2004

Royal Knesset
Election	Leader	Seats won	+/−	Rank	Majority	Parties In Bloc
2018	Binyamin Goldschmidt	76 / 142	1	#1	Majority	Conservatives Action Yisrael Northern League1
2016		75 / 142	16	#1	Majority	Conservatives Northern League2
2014		58 / 142	22	#2	Minority	Conservatives Torah Achdus3 Northern League3
2012		80 / 142	6	#1	Majority	Conservatives Torah Achdus4
2010		74 / 142	9	#1	Majority	Conservatives Torah Achdus
2008		65 / 142	6	#2	Minority	Conservatives Torah Achdus5
2006		71 / 142	11	Tie	Minority	Conservatives Torah Achdus
2004		60 / 142	TBD	#2	Minority	Conservatives Torah Achdus5 National Union6

Notes
1. Torah Achdus left the Bloc for the midterm elections due to then-public spats with personalities in the Action Yisrael and Northern League parties. After the election, the TA entered into a supply and confidence agreement with the bloc.
2. While the Action Yisrael and Torah Achdus parties cross-endorsed the Conservatives on the presidential level, they chose to run their own candidates and not enter an election pact for Knesset and other offices.
3. Torah Achdus and the Northern League put aside their simmering feud and policy differences and agreed to stay under one tent with the Conservatives, while Action Yisrael declined to join their list and consequently joined the short-lived one-term Con-Lib majority in the 46th Knesset.
4. The Northern League and Action Yisrael, although they cross-endorsed the Conservatives on the presidential level, declined to join the Right Bloc list at the Knesset and lower level.
5. The Torah Achdus party, although they did not cross-endorse the Conservatives on the presidential level, did to join the Right Bloc list at the Knesset level.
6. The National Union party merged with the Conservatives before the 2006 elections.

See also

• Politics of Yisrael
• United Center Bloc
• Left Bloc
• Electoral College in Yisrael
• Yisraeli general election, 2020
• Party divisions of the Yisraeli Knesset