1.13 Draft August 21, 2026
Civil Legislation Initiative Law
To enshrine in law the right of citizens to submit bills directly to the Knesset, as well as to demand the repeal of an existing law — based on 50,000 signatures of eligible voters. The Knesset is obligated to debate and vote; the decision on the merits remains in the hands of the Knesset.
✍️ Submitted by: igal gutnik
🤝 3 supporters
📖 Background
1.A group of initiators drafts the text: the bill itself (or the demand to repeal an existing law) accompanied by a concise justification.
2.Collection of 50,000 signatures of eligible voters within six months—via digital government identification.
3.Verification of the signatures by the authorized body.
4.The initiative is transferred directly to the Knesset—for a preliminary reading in the plenum, bypassing the Ministerial Committee on Legislation.
5.The Knesset is obligated to hold a discussion in the relevant committee and vote on the merits within six months, and to publish a reasoned decision.
📝 Proposal text
A citizen initiative for enacting, amending, or repealing a law, supported by 50,000 signatures of eligible voters that have been duly verified, shall be brought for discussion and voting in the Knesset within six months from the date of signature verification, without prejudice to the Knesset's authority to decide on its merits.
Response to reservations: The threshold, the time limit for collection, the formal and substantive requirements, as well as subject-matter exclusions (budget, taxes, international treaties, contradiction to Basic Laws) filter out frivolous proposals. Experience in countries where this mechanism operates does not indicate a flood of initiatives.
✅ For (4)
- + Regular channel for citizen participation between elections
- + An issue with proven public support reaches the agenda regardless of its coalition or opposition affiliation
- + Bypassing the central filter of the Israeli system — the Ministerial Committee for Legislation
- + The representative nature of the rule is preserved: there is an obligation to debate, but no obligation to approve
⚠️ Against (4)
- − Risk of an excess of initiatives and an overload on the Knesset
- − Possibility of populist or legally unformed initiatives
- − The mechanism may be used by organized, resourceful groups rather than the general public.
- − An administrative system for signature verification is required
📰 Updates
Where it is already in operation In Finland, 50,000 signatures require Parliament to debate a citizens' bill — the mechanism has been operating since 2012. In Switzerland, the same 50,000 signatures make it possible to subject a law passed by Parliament to a referendum. Similar models: Poland and Austria — 100,000 signatures, Latvia — 10,000, the European Union — one million.
✍️ igal gutnik 🗓 August 21, 2026