 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Hebrew. (July 2022)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Merav Michaeli | |
|---|---|
מרב מיכאלי | |
.jpg) Merav Michaeli in 2023 | |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2021–2022 | Minister of Transport |
| Faction represented in theKnesset | |
| 2013–2015 | Labor Party |
| 2015–2019 | Zionist Union |
| 2019–2024 | Labor Party |
| 2024– | The Democrats |
| Other roles | |
| 2021–2024 | Leader of theLabor Party |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1966-11-24)24 November 1966 (age 59) |
| Domestic partner(s) | Erez Tal (1992–1999) Lior Schleien (since 2007)[1] |
| Children | 3[1] |
.jpg)
Merav Michaeli (Hebrew:מרב מיכאלי,romanized: Mērav Mīxāʾēlī; born 24 November 1966)[2] is an Israeli politician, journalist,TV anchor, radio broadcaster, feminist, and activist currently serving as a member of theKnesset for theDemocrats, which was formed in 2024 by a merger of theLabor andMeretz. She served as theLabor Party's leader from 2021 until 2024, and asMinister of Transport in thethirty-sixth government of Israel.
Michaeli was born inPetah Tikva[2] to Ami Michaeli and Suzan Kastner, ofHungarian Jewish background. She is the granddaughter ofRudolf Kastner[3] and also of Nehemia Michaeli who was the last secretary of theMapam party.[4]
During her youth, Michaeli served as leader in theIsraeli Scouts.[5] In the IDF, Michaeli was a newscaster on theArmy Radio. She helped establishGalgalatz andRadio Tel Aviv radio stations and would also lead Hebrew television programs focused on politics.[6]
She was a journalist and opinion columnist for theHaaretz newspaper. She also taught university classes and lectured extensively on the topics offeminism, media, and communications. In September 2012, she spoke atTED Jaffa on the theme of "paradigm shift", in which she argued that society should "cancel marriage".[7]
In October 2012, Michaeli announced that she was joining theLabor Party, and intended to run for inclusion on Labor's list for the2013 Knesset elections.[8] On 29 November 2012, she won fifth place on the Labor Party's list,[9] and was elected to theKnesset when Labor won 15 seats.[10]
In preparation for the2015 general election, the Labor andHatnuah parties formed theZionist Union alliance. Michaeli won the ninth slot on the Zionist Union list, and was elected to the Knesset as it won 24 seats.[11][12]
Shortly before the end of the Knesset term, the Zionist Union was dissolved, with Labor and Hatnuah sitting in the Knesset as separate parties. Michaeli was placed seventh on the Labor list for theApril 2019 elections, but lost her seat as Labor was reduced to six seats. However, she returned to the Knesset in August 2019 afterStav Shaffir resigned from the legislature.[13] On 22 April 2020, after the2020 Israeli legislative election, the then Labor party leaderAmir Peretz announced that the Labor Party would join the unity government in theNetanyahu-Gantz coalition, but Michaeli rejected sitting in the coalition under Netanyahu.[14]
She waselected to lead the Israeli Labor Party on 24 January 2021, after her predecessor,Amir Peretz, announced he would not stand for re-election.[15] She announced, at the time, that her party would have gender equality on the party list; with a female-male rotation.[16]
In the2021 election, the party won seven seats, becoming part of thethirty-sixth government, with Michaeli asMinister of Transport and Road Safety. On 31 December 2021, she announced that theTel Aviv central bus station would be closed within four years, reneging her promise to close it immediately.[citation needed]
Michaeli wasre-elected to lead the Israeli Labor Party in July 2022.[17] In thelegislative election held later that year, Labor narrowly crossed the electoral threshold, receiving the bare minimum of four seats. Some blamed Michaeli's refusal to run jointly with the left wingMeretz for the latter party falling beneath the electoral threshold and enabling the formation of anew government formed by Benjamin Netanyahu. Michaeli was accused by prominent Meretz lawmakerIssawi Frej of 'delusions of grandeur'.[18]
In 2023, she was one of the active participants in theanti-judicial reform protests. She rejected an invitation from Prime Minister Netanyahu to join the compromise talks at the president's residence.[19][20]
On 7 December 2023, Michaeli called a press conference in which she stated her intention to hold a leadership election in April 2024, in which she will not run for another term.[21] In February 2024, the party announced thatthe election would take place on 28 May.[22] She was replaced in that election byYair Golan.[23]
In April 2024, Michaeli called for dismantling an army unit with a history of abuses (Netzah Yehuda Battalion), saying it is killing Palestinians “for no real reason.”[24][25]
During the 90s, Michaeli was in a relationship with Israeli TV and radio producer and hostErez Tal.[26]
Since 2007, Michaeli's partner is television producer, host and comedianLior Schleien.[27] She lives in Tel Aviv, near Schleien.[28] In a 2018 interview, Michaeli stated in an interview that she didn't feel sorry for not having children and that "she never wanted to become a mother".[29] Despite this claim, in August 2021, Michaeli and Schleien's son was born in theUnited States bysurrogate pregnancy.[30] In April 2023, Michaeli announced that their second son had been born via surrogacy.[31] In April 2025, the couple announced the birth of their third daughter Noa.[32]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Leader of theIsraeli Labor Party 2021–2024 | Succeeded by |
|  | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
