First Israeli Elections and Formation of Government

In January 1949, Israel conducted its first elections, marking a significant milestone in the establishment of its democratic governance. The elections were dominated by the Socialist-Zionist parties, with Mapai securing 46 seats and Mapam obtaining 19 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. David Ben-Gurion, the leader of Mapai, was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Israel. He formed a coalition government that notably excluded Mapam, a party with Stalinist affiliations and loyalty to the USSR, signaling Israel's intention to remain outside the Soviet bloc. The Knesset also elected Chaim Weizmann as the first President of Israel, a largely ceremonial role. During this period, Hebrew and Arabic were established as the official languages of the new state. Since then, all Israeli governments have been coalitions, as no single party has ever achieved a majority in the Knesset. From 1948 until 1977, Mapai and its successor, the Alignment, dominated Israeli politics, with Labour Zionists, led initially by Ben-Gurion, steering the country towards a primarily socialist economic model.