Let's learn about the research laboratories we have, in order to understand the existing risks to democracy.
Research laboratories
Checks and Balances
Israel maintains one of the weakest democratic systems in terms of formal constraints on the legislative and executive branches. On the formal level, there are no internal or external constraints on the legislature, such as two houses of parliament, presidential veto power, federal structure, regional elections, membership in international human rights organizations. Furthermore, Israel is one of the few countries in the world that lacks a formal constitution, with no written requirements limiting the legislative power of constitutional norms.
Democracy and the welfare state
Comparative studies show that the welfare state plays a significant role in creating and maintaining institutional and social trust. Allocating supports on a matter-of-fact, impartial, and efficient basis allows citizens to trust that they will be treated fairly and to have confidence in democracy.
Civilian oversight of security agencies in Israel
In every democracy, there is a tension between the need for democratic oversight of the security forces and the fear that the elected echelon will use its oversight authority to use the security forces against the opposition. In the absence of oversight, the most extreme threat is of course a military coup, but there are also other risks, such as systemic corruption, or the adoption of erroneous "conceptions" about the risks to state security.
