Dr. Oded Haklai, Department Head and Professor of Political Studies, recently co-authored an article in the Journal of Democracy with Andrew O'Donohue.
We argue that by the criteria laid out in Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way’s foundational work, Israel since 2023 has slid into competitive authoritarianism — a political regime whose elections are real and competitive, but in which the incumbent’s abuse of state power gives it a significant advantage over opponents. Specifically, by politicizing state institutions such as the police, harassing independent media, and denying equal media access, the Netanyahu government has tilted the playing field in its favor.
The full article is available to read on Journal of Democracy: "Israel's Slide into Competitive Authoritarianism," October 2026 (subscription may be required).