Longtime Likud Voter Explains Shift to Lieberman
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Avi Berko, a lifelong Likud voter, is switching his vote to Avigdor Lieberman due to the Likud's perceived shift towards extremism, neglect of the middle class, and handling of the Haredi draft issue. The October 7th failures also contributed to his decision. He hopes the Likud will reform in the future.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Lifelong Likud supporter Avi Berko is changing his vote.
- He cites party extremism and neglect of the middle class.
- Discontent over Haredi draft exemptions is a key issue.
- The October 7th failures also influenced his decision.
- He will vote for Avigdor Lieberman in the upcoming election.
Avi Berko, a 47-year-old originally from Eilat and now living in Ness Ziona, has decided to vote differently in the upcoming elections after supporting the Likud party for his entire life. Berko joined the youth wing of the Likud at a young age and served on its national council, consistently voting for the party throughout his life. He previously viewed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a leader who cared for the country and was not extreme.
Berko attributes his change of heart to a gradual shift within the Likud party, which he feels has become increasingly extreme and focused on sectoral interests rather than the middle class. A significant point of contention for Berko is the issue of military service burden sharing. He expressed anger over the allocation of millions to Haredi men who evade military service, especially as his own daughter is set to enlist soon. This disparity, he explained, made him feel that the party he supported no longer aligned with his priorities, despite him still identifying as a right-wing individual.
The events of October 7th also served as a turning point for Berko. He believes that the coalition parties must establish an inquiry committee and take responsibility for the failures. "All coalition parties, until they are investigated, until they reveal what happened here, are all guilty of the failure in my eyes," he stated, questioning who pays the price beyond the families of the fallen.
Looking ahead, Berko hopes the Likud will reform and that he can vote for them again in the future. However, for the upcoming elections, he plans to support Avigdor Lieberman, whom he considers a staunch right-wing figure, to remain within the political camp he identifies with. Berko questions Netanyahu's leadership, asking, "Netanyahu is Shas and United Torah Judaism. Where is the right wing?"
This account is part of a special project by ynet in collaboration with "100שטח" where Israelis from across the political spectrum share their voting intentions and the reasons for their changed perspectives since the last election.
Mentioned
