Poll Shows Coalition Voters Returning, Benefiting New Candidate Over Likud

A new poll indicates a significant trend of coalition voters returning to the political fold, though they appear to be favoring a new candidate, Ofer Winter, over the Likud party itself. Pollster Dr. Menachem Lazar observed this "dramatic trend" in recent surveys, suggesting that the focus on security issues is helping Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition narrow the gap with opposition parties. Lazar noted that Gadi Eisenkot, a prominent opposition figure, seems to have hit a "glass ceiling" at around 25 seats and has been steadily losing support, dropping four seats in a month to reach 21 seats in the current poll. Lazar speculates that the Likud's campaign against Eisenkot may be influencing undecided voters.

The poll also shows Arab parties struggling, with their combined seat count remaining stagnant at 12 mandates for weeks. Lazar attributed this to a lack of increased voter turnout in the Arab community, despite recent party mergers and additions. He suggested that only a surge in participation could strengthen these parties, though a future "awakening" might occur following a Supreme Court ruling on petitions filed.

Overall, Lazar described the situation as "dramatic" but emphasized that the political landscape remains fluid. He concluded that with security returning to the forefront of public discourse, Netanyahu and the coalition are closing the gap, but the final outcome is still uncertain.