Yair Lapid was born in Tel Aviv. His father was journalist and politician Yosef "Tommy" Lapid and his mother is novelist and playwright Shulamit (Giladi) Lapid.
On 8 January 2012 Lapid announced that he would be leaving journalism in order to enter politics. On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future"). The move was aimed to coincide with the general expectation in Israel for early elections to be held in the early fall of 2012. A few days after Yesh Atid's registration, in a surprise move, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a national unity government. It was then thought that Lapid's party would have to wait until late 2013 before it could participate in national elections. But in October 2012, following the departure of Kadima from Netanyahu's coalition over how to implement a Supreme Court decision ending the exemption from the military draft for the ultra-Orthodox, Netanyahu announced that elections would take place in late January 2013, affording Yesh Atid its first opportunity to run since its formation. In November 2012, Yesh Atid was polling an average of 11.6%, or 13-14 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The final results of the January election showed the party winning an unexpected 19 seats, making Yesh Atid the second-largest party in the 19th Knesset. Lapid was named Israel's finance minister on 15 March 2013. Only nine months later, a survey was published showing a continuing trend of decreasing popularity with 75% of those polled claiming to be disappointed by his performance and his party would only achieve 10 seats in the Knesset as opposed to the 19 party members who were elected at the beginning of the year. On 2 December 2014, Lapid was fired from his post as finance minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Q: When did he get his start in politics?
A: On 8 January 2012 Lapid announced that he would be leaving journalism in order to enter politics.

Q: What did he want to do in politics?
A: On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future").
What did he do when he left journalism for politics?
On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future"). On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future"). On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future"). On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" ( On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future").
On 30 April 2012 Lapid formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (Hebrew: ysh `tyd, lit. "There's a Future").