Yesh Atid Faces Internal Turmoil as Knesset Members Depart Ahead of Elections

The Yesh Atid party is preparing to present its Knesset list for the upcoming elections under the "Achva" (Together) faction, amidst growing internal dissent and frustration among incumbent lawmakers. This comes as party chairman Yair Lapid is expected to announce his candidacy on Saturday evening. Current assessments within the party suggest that prominent figures likely to secure realistic spots on the list include retired Major General Noam Tibon, alongside current Knesset members Vladimir Beliak, Naor Shiri, Merav Ben Ari, and Merav Cohen.

However, with the party anticipating a reduced number of seats compared to the 24 mandates it secured in the current Knesset, it is clear that many current MKs will not serve in the next parliament. This has led to a wave of departures, with MKs Boaz Toporovsky, Ron Katz, and Meir Cohen announcing their resignations. Additionally, MKs Yoav Segalovitz and Elazar Stern have declared they will run with other parties, Ra'am and "Yashar!" respectively.

These shifts and new alliances have reportedly angered veteran lawmakers. One unnamed MK expressed frustration in a conversation with Kan News, stating, "The campaign is being run by Bennett's people, the veteran MKs of Yesh Atid are not involved at all. And even the mistakes made did not change that."