Israeli presidential election, 1952
Encyclopedia
An election to choose the second President of Israel
was held in the Knesset
on 8 December 1952 following the death of the Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann
on 9 November. Between Weizmann's death and the winner of the election, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
, taking office on 16 December, Knesset speaker Yosef Sprinzak
served as acting president.
Before the election, Albert Einstein
was spoken to by Abba Eban
about the possibility of becoming President. He declined, explaining, "I have neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings."
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
was held in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
on 8 December 1952 following the death of the Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
on 9 November. Between Weizmann's death and the winner of the election, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, the second and longest-serving President of Israel.-Biography:...
, taking office on 16 December, Knesset speaker Yosef Sprinzak
Yosef Sprinzak
Yosef Sprinzak was a leading Zionist activist in the first half of the 20th century, an Israeli politician, and the first Speaker of the Knesset, a role he held from 1949 until his death in 1959....
served as acting president.
Candidates
There were four candidates:- Yitzhak Ben-ZviYitzhak Ben-ZviYitzhak Ben-Zvi was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, the second and longest-serving President of Israel.-Biography:...
: One of the founders of MapaiMapaiMapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968...
(the ruling party, for whom he was a member of the Knesset) and the HistadrutHistadrutHaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael , known as the Histadrut, is Israel's organization of trade unions. Established in December 1920 during the British Mandate for Palestine, it became one of the most powerful institutions of the State of Israel.-History:The Histadrut was founded in...
(the country's largest trade unionTrade unionA trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
), a former president of the Vaad LeumiVaad LeumiThe Jewish National Council , also known as the Jewish People's Council was the main national institution of the Jewish community within the British Mandate of Palestine.-History:...
, signatory of the Israel declaration of independence and a personal friend of Prime MinisterPrime Minister of IsraelThe Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
. - Peretz BernsteinPeretz BernsteinPeretz Bernstein was a Zionist activist and Israeli politician and one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence.-Biography:...
: A member of the Knesset for the General ZionistsGeneral ZionistsThe General Zionists were centrists within the Zionist movement and a political party in Israel. Their political arm is an ancestor of the modern-day Likud.-History:...
and also a signatory of the country's declaration of independence. - Yitzhak GruenbaumYitzhak GruenbaumYitzhak Gruenbaum was a noted leader of the Zionist movement among Polish Jewry between the two world wars and of the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine, and the first Interior Minister of Israel.-Education and journalistic career:Gruenbaum was born in Warsaw, Poland...
: A signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence, a minister in the provisional governmentProvisional government of IsraelThe provisional government of Israel was the temporary cabinet which governed Israel from shortly before independence until the formation of the first government in March 1949 following the first Knesset elections in January that year....
, and though an adherent of MapamMapamMapam was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day Meretz party.-History:Mapam was formed by a January 1948 merger of the Hashomer Hatzair Workers Party and Ahdut HaAvoda Poale Zion Movement. The party was originally Marxist-Zionist in its outlook and represented...
, not a member of any political party. - Mordechai NurockMordechai NurockRabbi Dr Mordechai Nurock was a Jewish politician and minister who served in both the parliaments of Latvia and Israel. He was also Israel's first Minister of Postal Services , though he only held the post for just under two months.-Biography:Born in Tukums in the Russian Empire , Nurock attended...
: A member of the Knesset for MizrachiMizrachi (political party)Mizrachi was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day National Religious Party.-History:The Mizrachi movement was founded in 1902 in Vilnius as a religious Zionist organisation. It also had a trade union, Hapoel HaMizrachi, started in 1921...
and Minister of Postal ServicesCommunications Minister of IsraelThe Communications Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Communications and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The post was established in 1952, and until 1970 was known as the Minister of Postal Services...
in the government at the timeThird government of IsraelThe third government of Israel was formed by David Ben Gurion on 8 October 1951, more than two months after the elections. His Mapai party formed a coalition with Mizrachi, Hapoel HaMizrachi, Agudat Yisrael, Poalei Agudat Yisrael and the three Israeli Arab parties, the Democratic List for Israeli...
.
Before the election, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
was spoken to by Abba Eban
Abba Eban
Abba Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician.In his career he was Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations...
about the possibility of becoming President. He declined, explaining, "I have neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings."
Results
Three rounds of voting were required after no candidate gained an outright majority. Peretz Bernstein dropped out after the second round, with Yitzhak Ben-Zvi elected in the third round.| Candidate | Affiliation | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | Second round | Third round | ||
| Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Yitzhak Ben-Zvi Yitzhak Ben-Zvi was a historian, Labor Zionist leader, the second and longest-serving President of Israel.-Biography:... |
Mapai Mapai Mapai was a left-wing political party in Israel, and was the dominant force in Israeli politics until its merger into the Israeli Labor Party in 1968... |
48 | 48 | 62 |
| Mordechai Nurock Mordechai Nurock Rabbi Dr Mordechai Nurock was a Jewish politician and minister who served in both the parliaments of Latvia and Israel. He was also Israel's first Minister of Postal Services , though he only held the post for just under two months.-Biography:Born in Tukums in the Russian Empire , Nurock attended... |
Mizrachi Mizrachi (political party) Mizrachi was a political party in Israel and is one of the ancestors of the modern-day National Religious Party.-History:The Mizrachi movement was founded in 1902 in Vilnius as a religious Zionist organisation. It also had a trade union, Hapoel HaMizrachi, started in 1921... |
15 | 15 | 40 |
| Yitzhak Gruenbaum Yitzhak Gruenbaum Yitzhak Gruenbaum was a noted leader of the Zionist movement among Polish Jewry between the two world wars and of the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine, and the first Interior Minister of Israel.-Education and journalistic career:Gruenbaum was born in Warsaw, Poland... |
Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
17 | 18 | 5 |
| Peretz Bernstein Peretz Bernstein Peretz Bernstein was a Zionist activist and Israeli politician and one of the signatories of the Israeli declaration of independence.-Biography:... |
General Zionists General Zionists The General Zionists were centrists within the Zionist movement and a political party in Israel. Their political arm is an ancestor of the modern-day Likud.-History:... |
18 | 18 | |
| Empty ballots | 12 | 12 | 5 | |
| Total | 110 | 111 | 112 | |
External links
- Presidential elections Knesset website