Poll Shows Right-Wing Bloc Gaining Strength Ahead of Elections

A new poll conducted by Lazar Research and published in the newspaper Maariv indicates a strengthening of the right-wing bloc in Israeli politics, projecting it to gain 51 seats in the Knesset. Conversely, the bloc opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is projected to weaken, securing 57 seats. The survey suggests that if elections were held today, the "Yesh!" party would emerge as the largest, with 23 mandates, followed by the Likud party with 20 seats. The "Together" party, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, is predicted to receive 15 seats. Other parties' projected seat allocations include the Democrats with 10, Yisrael Beiteinu with 9, Otzma Yehudit with 8, United Torah Judaism with 7, Hadash-Ta'al-Balad with 7, Shas with 7, Ra'am with 5, Religious Zionism and Identity with 5, and Am Israel with 4.

The poll also highlights that parties failing to cross the electoral threshold represent 6.7% of the vote, equivalent to approximately eight Knesset seats. Among these smaller parties, Tzomet Israel-HaMeyumanim is projected to receive 2.1%, the Economic Party 1.7%, the Unity Party 1.1%, Blue and White 0.6%, and the Haredi Public Party 0.4%.

Regarding potential electoral alliances, 52% of voters in the bloc opposing Netanyahu favor mergers before the elections, while 27% believe it is preferable for the current parties to run separately. Support for mergers in the center-left bloc is slightly higher among voters for the Democratic Party (57%) and Yisrael Beiteinu (55%).