Winter's Amcha Israel Party Weakens Right-Wing Bloc to 48 Seats in New Poll

A recent poll conducted by Lazar Research Institute and published in Maariv reveals that the entry of Ofir Winter's Amcha Israel party, which secures five Knesset seats, significantly weakens the right-wing bloc in Israel. According to the survey, the right-wing bloc would drop to a historic low of 48 seats if elections were held today. The poll shows the Yisrael Beiteinu party with nine seats, Otzma Yehudit and United Torah Judaism each with eight, Shas with seven, and Amcha Israel with five seats. Notably, the Religious Zionist Party falls below the electoral threshold due to Winter's party presence, effectively losing its representation.

The poll also indicates that none of the so-called "third bloc" parties surpass the electoral threshold, resulting in approximately 8% of votes, equivalent to about 10 Knesset seats, being wasted. The right-wing bloc holds 48 seats including Amcha Israel, but only 43 without it. Meanwhile, the anti-Netanyahu bloc leads with 59 seats, and the Arab parties strengthen their position to 13 seats. Other parties in the poll include Yesh Atid-Bennett's "Together" with 15 seats, Yesh with 25, and the Democrats with 10.

This shift highlights the fragmentation within the right-wing camp and the potential impact of new parties on Israel's political landscape ahead of upcoming elections.