February 6, 2001
In the only instance in Israel’s history, a direct election is held for prime minister without a simultaneous election for the Knesset. Ariel Sharon wins in a landslide over incumbent Ehud Barak. The 62.4% of the vote received by Sharon is the largest margin in Israeli history, although the election has a comparatively low voter turnout of 62.3%.
One month after the election, the Knesset amends the electoral system and returns to its proportional election system, in which voters cast ballots for parties, and the leader of the party that wins a plurality usually is asked by the Israeli president to form the next government as prime minister.
The election was caused by Barak’s resignation December 10 during the Second Intifada and after the failure of peace talks with the Palestinians in 2000. The resignation was a political move designed to prevent former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from running. According to Israeli election law at the time, Netanyahu was not eligible because he was not a current member of the Knesset.
Upon his resignation, Barak stated, “I will officially advise the president of my resignation (and) in 60 days … go to special elections for prime minister. … Due to the emergency situation the country is in … and the need to continue reducing the violence and moving forward the chances of peace negotiations, I have decided to ask again for the mandate of the people of Israel.”
