List of Knesset speakers

The Speaker of the Knesset (Hebrew: יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ הכנסת, Yoshev Rosh HaKnesset, literally: Chairman of the Knesset) is the presiding officer of the Knesset, the unicameral legislature of Israel. The Speaker also acts as President of Israel when the President is incapacitated. The current speaker is Yariv Levin, who was elected on 17 May 2020.

Knesset speaker
יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ הכנסת
Yoshev Rosh HaKnesset
Incumbent
Yariv Levin

since 17 May 2020
Formation14 February 1949
First holderYosef Sprinzak

To date, Ahdut HaAvoda's Nahum Nir and Blue & White's Benny Gantz are the only Speakers not to have come from the ruling party, though in two cases (Avraham Burg and Reuven Rivlin) the party of the speaker (One Israel and Likud respectively) lost power during their term.

The speaker is expected to act in a non-partisan nature, but may occasionally take part in debates, and is allowed to vote.

The speaker is assisted by a number of Deputy Speakers of the Knesset (currently 10). The Deputy Speakers are drawn from the breadth of parties represented in the Knesset. Together, the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers constitute the Praesidium of the Knesset.

Knesset Speakers (1949–present)

A total of sixteen people have served as Speaker of the Knesset, one of whom, Reuven Rivlin, have served two non-consecutive terms.

Speaker Knesset
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of Office Political Party
1 Yosef Sprinzak
יוסף שפרינצק
(1885–1959)
14 February 194928 January 1959Mapai1, 2, 3
2 Nahum Nir
נחום ניר
(1884–1968)
2 March 195930 November 1959Ahdut HaAvoda3
3 Kadish Luz
קדיש לוז
(1895–1972)
30 November 195917 November 1969Mapai, Alignment4, 5, 6
4 Reuven Barkat
ראובן ברקת
(1906–1972)
17 November 19695 April 1972Alignment7
5 Yisrael Yeshayahu Sharabi
ישראל ישעיהו שרעבי
(1908–1979)
9 May 197213 June 1977Alignment7, 8
6 Yitzhak Shamir
יצחק שמיר
(1915–2012)
13 June 197710 March 1980Likud9
7 Yitzhak Berman
יצחק ברמן
(1913–2013)
12 March 198020 July 1981Likud9
8 Menachem Savidor
מנחם סבידור
(1917–1988)
20 July 198113 August 1984Likud10
9 Shlomo Hillel
שלמה הלל
(1923–)
11 September 198420 November 1988Alignment11
10 Dov Shilansky
דב שילנסקי
(1924–2010)
21 November 198813 July 1992Likud12
11 Shevah Weiss
שבח וייס
(1935–)
13 July 199224 June 1996Labor13
12 Dan Tichon
דן תיכון
(1937–)
24 June 19967 June 1999Likud14
13 Avraham Burg
אברהם בורג
(1955–)
6 July 199917 February 2003One Israel, Labor15
14 Reuven Rivlin
ראובן ריבלין
(1939–)
19 February 20034 May 2006Likud16
15 Dalia Itzik
דליה איציק
(1952–)
4 May 200630 March 2009Kadima17
(14) Reuven Rivlin
ראובן ריבלין
(1939–)
30 March 20095 February 2013Likud18
16 Yuli-Yoel Edelstein
יולי-יואל אדלשטיין
(1958–)
18 March 201325 March 2020Likud19, 20, 21, 22
17 Benny Gantz
בני גנץ
(1959–)
26 March 202017 May 2020Blue & White23
18 Yariv Levin
יריב לוין
(1969–)
17 May 2020IncumbentLikud23
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