Opposition Fears Right-Wing Bloc Could Gain 70 Seats in New Elections
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, warned that a minority government supported by Arab parties could lead to new elections and a strong comeback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc with up to 70 seats. Lieberman advocates for a government exclusively of Zionist parties and believes the public has shifted rightward post-October 7th. He is also in a dispute with National Unity Party leader Gadi Eisenkot over campaign strategies.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman warns a minority government could lead to Netanyahu's bloc winning 70 seats in new elections.
- Lieberman insists on forming a government composed solely of Zionist parties.
- He believes the Israeli public has moved rightward since the October 7th attacks.
- Lieberman is clashing with Gadi Eisenkot over opposition campaign strategies.
- Recent polls show the right-wing bloc with 61 mandates.
- Lieberman called a minority government a "dangerous trap."
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, is warning that a minority government, even one supported by Arab parties, could lead to a dangerous political trap. He fears such a scenario would result in a short-lived government, forcing new elections where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies could secure as many as 70 Knesset seats. Lieberman insists on forming a government composed solely of Zionist parties, calling any talk of a minority government a "dangerous trap."
Lieberman argues that the political landscape has shifted significantly since the October 7th attacks, with the Israeli public moving further to the right. He believes that to unseat the current government, the opposition needs to attract voters from the right-wing bloc, not just redistribute votes within the opposition itself. He stated that winning requires shifting three to four mandates from one bloc to another.
The warning comes amid growing tensions between Lieberman and Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the National Unity Party. Lieberman has criticized Eisenkot's "Big Party" campaign, asserting it focuses on moving voters between anti-Netanyahu parties rather than attracting them from the right. Lieberman even referred to Eisenkot as "Benny Gantz 2," expressing concern that Eisenkot might be aiming for a post-election scenario where he could negotiate to form a government with Netanyahu.
Recent polling indicates the right-wing bloc currently holds 61 mandates, compared to 46 for Jewish opposition parties and 13 for Arab parties. In that poll, the Likud party received 29 mandates and Eisenkot's National Unity Party garnered 22.
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