Shas Wins Six Seats as Leader Arye Deri Exits Knesset List

The ultra-Orthodox Shas party suffered a major electoral blow in the October 27 vote, winning just six Knesset seats. This result represents the party's lowest tally in over twenty years. It is a sharp drop from the eleven seats Shas held in the previous legislature.

Arye Deri, the party's chairman, announced on Sunday that he is withdrawing from the list for the 26th Knesset. He will step down as a member of parliament but intends to keep his role as party leader. Deri said he will continue to guide the party's strategy and manage coalition negotiations from outside the chamber.

MK Yinon Azoulay will now hold the first spot on the Shas list. Deri stated that he obtained permission from the Council of Torah Sages to make this move. He cited a wish to allow younger members to take on parliamentary responsibilities.

Two other candidates also dropped from the slate. Dror Amos and Moshe Abutbul, who had occupied the sixth and seventh positions, reportedly stepped back. This change allows Uriel Busso and Yosef Taieb to enter the Knesset. Amos's departure is a notable shift, as his background as a former IDF lieutenant colonel had signaled a tactical change in the party's approach.

During the campaign, Shas faced pressure over its stance on conscripting ultra-Orthodox men into the military. The issue was particularly sensitive given the army's ongoing manpower shortage. Deri said on Sunday that he will travel across the country to engage with supporters and maintain close contact with the public.

Deri plans to hold weekly meetings with the Shas faction to track legislative progress. He said his goal is to restore the party's standing and protect the interests of the religious community in Israel.

This announcement follows a recent reversal by the Council of Torah Sages. The body initially refused Deri's request to resign as chairman last week, ordering him to remain in his post. Deri accepted that directive but has now moved to cede his specific Knesset seat.

Shas has recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu form the next government. This puts the party at odds with its sister party, United Torah Judaism, which abstained from making a recommendation to President Isaac Herzog.

Deri has served as a minister in the past, including for Interior and Health. The High Court ruled in 2023 that he was ineligible for the cabinet due to prior criminal convictions. He was convicted of bribery in 1999 and tax offenses in 2022.