[54731] Attorney Dean Livneh appointed as Acting Director General of the Central Elections Committee

New appointment at the Central Elections Committee

On May 10, 2026, the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, informed the committee staff of the appointment of Attorney Dean Livneh to the position of Acting Director General of the committee. The appointment goes into effect ahead of the upcoming election cycle and will serve as a temporary solution until the search process for a permanent Director General is completed, a process expected to take some time, according to Dafna Liel.

Livneh, known as an expert in the field of election law, served as the committee's legal advisor for 13 years, a period during which he oversaw eight Knesset election cycles. According to Online News, he is one of Israel's leading experts in the field. He concluded his role as legal advisor at the end of January 2026, as noted in a report by Amit Segal.

Reports surrounding the appointment noted a broad consensus regarding Livneh's extensive experience, with Daniel Amram without censorship noting that he is a figure with deep familiarity with the challenges of managing election systems in Israel, calling him a person who is "straight as a ruler." However, Amir Ettinger and Yuval Segev added background details on his previous departure, noting that at the time he resigned against the backdrop of disagreements with the committee's long-time Director General, Orly Ades.

The appointment was received positively by political and journalistic figures, with Dafna Liel noting that even when he left in the past, Livneh received praise from all sides of the political spectrum.