Lieberman Rejects Minority Government Plan, Seeks Likud Defectors
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, has ruled out supporting a minority government, even temporarily, as proposed by Gadi Eisenkot. Lieberman insists on a stable coalition of only Zionist parties and refuses to partner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Instead, he aims to attract defectors from the Likud party to form a majority government. Eisenkot had considered forming a minority government with fewer than 60 seats if necessary.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman will not support a minority government, even temporarily.
- Lieberman insists on a coalition composed exclusively of Zionist parties.
- He refuses to form a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Lieberman plans to attract defectors from the Likud party instead.
- Gadi Eisenkot had proposed forming a minority government with potentially fewer than 60 seats.
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has rejected a proposal by Gadi Eisenkot to form a minority government, even as a transitional measure. Lieberman stated at an Israel Democracy Institute conference and on social media that Israel requires a stable majority government composed solely of Zionist parties. He explicitly excluded parties such as Ra'am, the Joint List, Shas, and Yahadut HaTorah from any potential coalition.
Lieberman indicated that "Likud without Netanyahu" could be a partner, but he would not sit with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under any circumstances. He believes his bloc will secure a decisive majority in the upcoming elections, despite current polls. Lieberman also expressed confidence that several Likud lawmakers, disillusioned with Netanyahu's leadership, would defect to join a Zionist coalition.
Eisenkot, leading the "Yashar!" party, had previously suggested forming a minority government if the opposition bloc failed to secure 60 seats in the elections. He was prepared to form a government with 58 or 59 seats in a critical situation, intending to expand it later with other Zionist and state forces. Lieberman's stance complicates this plan, as Yisrael Beiteinu was considered a key potential supporter for Eisenkot's minority government scenario.
Lieberman's proposed alternative to a minority government involves attracting defectors from within the Likud party itself, whom he believes are aware of the "gravity of the moment" and feel marginalized by Netanyahu's alliances with figures like Goldknopf and Deri.
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