Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is reportedly considering lowering the minimum vote threshold required for parties to enter the Knesset. This move comes amid concerns that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party may not secure enough support in the next elections, risking wasted votes for the coalition. Currently, parties must receive at least 3.25 percent of the vote to gain seats, but discussions are underway to reduce this threshold, with some coalition members seeking to ensure their continued representation.

The proposal faces opposition from the Shas party, which worries that a lower threshold could allow rival ultra-Orthodox parties to enter the Knesset and dilute its influence. Negotiations are ongoing to secure Shas's support, while the coalition has not yet decided on the new threshold percentage. Recent polls show Netanyahu's Likud party leading, but both the current coalition and the opposition bloc are short of the majority needed to form a government. Several smaller parties, including Smotrich's, risk falling below the threshold and missing out on parliamentary representation.