Higher educated most politically active

Political interest greatest among highly educated

Of those with higher professional and university education, 78 percent  say they are fairly or very much interested in politics; this share is 28 percent among the least educated (primary education). The share of interested people is higher among men (58 percent) than among women (44 percent). The politically aware are more active participants, turn up to vote more often during elections and are more inclined to join political actions.

Turnout rates in the 2012 parliamentary elections – the most recent elections on which CBS has data - do not show any difference between men and women, but do demonstrate that there is a difference between higher and lower educated people.

Higher educated show more political engagement

Even when looking at other forms of political participation aside from voting in the elections, the higher educated show more commitment; for example, people with a university diploma are more inclined to sign petitions, are more politically active on the Internet and initiate more contact with media or politicians in comparison with people who have had only basic (primary) education. Men are more likely to get involved in political actions than women, although this is a narrower gap than between the lowest and highest educated.