Meretz

Progressive Alliance

Meretz (Hebrew: מרצ ) is a left -wing party in Israel. The Hebrew term Meretz means as much as " energy ".

History

The result was Meretz in 1992 as a coalition of civil rights movement Ratz, Mapam the United Workers' Party and the liberal Shinui. In 1996, the alliance was transformed into a party. Meretz sat for self- description for civil rights, women's equality, electoral reform and of religious pluralism. The first Zionist party Meretz accepted the idea of a Palestinian state.

From 1992 to 1996 and from 1999 to early 2001, Meretz has been involved in the US-led Labor Party governments.

In December 2003, Meretz disbanded to unite with Yossi Beilin's extra-parliamentary Shachar movement. Various names have been proposed for the new party, which asserted itself ultimately Jachad ( " together ").

In July 2005, the name was in Meretz Jachad (Hebrew: מרצ - יחד ) changed, as had resulted from surveys that the name Jachad within the Israeli public did not produce significant resonance, and that those who preferred the name Meretz.

For elections to the 17th Knesset in March 2006, the Jachad - part of the name was dropped, so that the party since then is called Meretz. In these elections Meretz reached 3.8 percent of the vote and is therefore represented by five deputies in the Knesset.

Prior to the 2009 Knesset elections Shalom Achschaw - founder Amos Oz announced a new left movement under the leadership of the Meretz party, which would be based on the values ​​of social democracy and in competition with the Labor Party. The plan of former leaders of the Labour Party as the ex- ministers Shlomo Ben Ami, Uzi Baram and former Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg was supported. In the Knesset elections but the new alliance was under the name of New Movement - Meretz not achieve electoral success and lost instead two Knesset seats against the Meretz result of 2006. Nevertheless, the Meretz Chairman Chaim Oron announced that his party would also despite the poor performance play a key role in the establishment of a new Zionist pacifist and humanist social Democratic Left in Israel.

Meretz took Mapams membership in the Socialist International.

Election results to the Knesset

Others

The youth organization Young Meretz is a member of the International Union of Socialist Youth ( IUSY, German Socialist Youth International ) and as such Sister Association of Young Socialists and the hawks.