Recall the 1928 U.S. presidential campaign, when Republicans promised voters “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.”
That cynical tactic—promising the moon to secure votes—warrants scrutiny as Israel enters the final 30 days before the pivotal October 27 election.
In a functioning democracy, governance continues uninterrupted: laws are passed, budgets allocated, and programs launched, regardless of election cycles.
A nation must keep running, decisions must be made, and funds disbursed. Yet during campaign season, every action invites suspicion. What drives the decision? Who proposed it, and who stands to gain?
Incumbents Hold the Levers of Power
Call it election economics; here, the incumbents hold all the levers. Consequently, every bill and budgetary item demands rigorous scrutiny from the opposition, press, and public to ensure decisions serve the national interest rather than narrow electoral calculus.
Some ministerial decisions stand above reproach. Last week, for example, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a NIS 35 million pilot program compensating uninsured businesses for property damage caused by protection rackets.
As The Jerusalem Post reported, the initiative offers an economic safety net to maintain business continuity and incentivize cooperation with law enforcement, helping curb the extortion racket.
This measure serves the broad public good, making it hard to dismiss as mere vote-buying.
Contrast this with this summer’s announcement of a roughly NIS 2.4 billion package for West Bank settlement neighborhoods and access roads. Given the looming election, the timing suggests a transparent effort to shore up Smotrich’s political base.
Distinguishing between legitimate governance and electioneering is not always clear-cut.
Attorney General Delays E1 Tender Deadline Citing Election Interference Concerns
On Sunday, the Attorney General’s Office ordered a month-long delay for submitting proposals on a tender to build 1,200 housing units in the contentious E1 area near Ma’aleh Adumim, citing fears the project could be exploited for campaign purposes.
The postponement pushes the deadline past Election Day. Ma’aleh Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach countered that the intervention itself amounts to “reverse electioneering.”
“The diplomatic decision to advance the tender was made months ago, and it has since proceeded through a professional process that naturally takes time,” he told Hebrew media. “If continuing the tender is deemed ‘political,’ then halting it now is itself a political act with clear implications.”
A fine line separates routine governance—allocations and laws essential for a society responsible for millions—from veiled bribery designed to lock in support and votes.
With a month remaining until October 27, all elected officials—ministers, ministries, and Knesset members—must exercise maximum restraint, resisting the urge to court constituents with financial inducements masquerading as legislation.
History shows such instincts are hard to suppress. This time, the stakes are too high to permit election economics to prevail. Relentless vigilance is required, and transgressions must be called out forcefully.
Simultaneously, not every administrative act warrants cries of vote-buying; the country must function. We urge the government to avoid election-year economics and the opposition to refrain from branding every decision over the next month as politically motivated.
Pressing challenges abound, and parties should articulate concrete plans to address them should they win seats or enter government.
That is how to earn voter trust—not by purchasing ballots with sectarian favoritism.