More countries around the world are shifting away from liberal democracies toward electoral democracies. This process of democratic erosion has already been experienced in some European countries and is currently turning into a global phenomenon.

Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where free and fair elections are still in place, and the judicial system has traditionally preserved its impartiality. Until 2023, Israel had been defined as a liberal democracy since 1973. However, in 2024, the V-Dem Democracy Report changed Israel’s status from a liberal democracy to an electoral democracy.

At Radio Revolt, we are starting a new series of shows aimed at understanding the reasons behind democratic backsliding in Israel, with contributions from scholars, jurists, and ordinary citizens. In this series, we will examine why such a significant change has occurred in the country.

In this episode, I invited Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor, a prominent Israeli academic, to provide an overview of democratic backsliding. He discusses the characteristics of Israeli democracy, recent judicial reforms, the relationship between democracy in Israel and the occupation of the West Bank, and, finally, how peace between Palestine and Israel might be possible.