Netanyahu Pressures Small Right-Wing Parties to Prevent Vote Waste
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is applying intense pressure on small right-wing parties to prevent a significant loss of votes in the upcoming election, fearing up to 220,000 votes could be wasted. Negotiations are ongoing with Motty Leitner's "Religious Public" party regarding electoral law changes, while the Noam party's leader refuses contact. An aggressive campaign targets Ofer Winter's party, though he remains in the race with specific demands for supporting a future government. Internal conflicts within the right-wing bloc exacerbate these concerns.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Netanyahu is pressuring small right-wing parties to prevent vote wastage before the election.
- The Likud party fears up to 220,000 right-wing votes could be lost below the electoral threshold.
- Motty Leitner's party demands changes to the surplus vote agreements law to avoid vote loss.
- Noam party's spiritual leader Rabbi Tzvi Tau is refusing to engage with Netanyahu's calls.
- Ofer Winter's party faces an aggressive campaign to withdraw, but he remains a candidate.
- Winter has set conditions for supporting a future government, including policies on Gaza and IDF service.
With six days remaining until the general election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exerting significant pressure on small right-wing parties, some of which were formed only about six weeks ago. These efforts aim to prevent a repeat of the 2022 and 2019 election outcomes, where lost votes below the electoral threshold significantly impacted the political landscape.
According to a worst-case scenario outlined by the Likud party, between a few thousand and up to 200,000-220,000 votes on the right could be wasted. A substantial portion of these potential lost votes is attributed to the party led by Ofer Winter, which is estimated to hold significant support but is not currently engaged in direct negotiations.
Negotiations with Motty Leitner, leader of the "Religious Public" party, are ongoing directly with Netanyahu, involving both meetings and phone calls. Leitner's central demand is a legislative change to the surplus vote agreements law, ensuring that votes for a party failing to pass the threshold are not forfeited. While there is optimism within Netanyahu's circle that Leitner might withdraw his candidacy by the end of the week, the "Religious Public" party has officially stated its intention to run until the end.
Pressure is also intensifying on other right-wing factions. The spiritual leader of the Noam party, Rabbi Tzvi Tau, has refused to meet with or respond to Netanyahu's calls, despite the party potentially holding tens of thousands of votes. Simultaneously, an aggressive campaign is underway against Ofer Winter, including appeals to his rabbis, a letter from bereaved families urging him to withdraw, and protests outside the homes of his party's candidates. Winter, however, remains committed to his candidacy.
Winter stated that his party, while part of the right-wing bloc, will not automatically support any future government and has set conditions for his support, including advancing a law for IDF service members and implementing a policy of decisive action and voluntary emigration from Gaza. He also ruled out joining a government with Yair Golan and suggested his party could enable the formation of a right-wing government independent of ultra-Orthodox parties. This political maneuvering occurs amidst significant internal tensions within the right-wing bloc, including disputes between the Likud and Itamar Ben-Gvir, and conflicts between the ultra-Orthodox parties and Bezalel Smotrich, deepening concerns within Netanyahu's camp about losing control and preventing massive vote wastage.
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