Shas Lawmaker Admits Party Lost Traditional Support
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
A Shas MK admitted the party lost traditional voters and is now exclusively Haredi, a shift expected to impact its stance on the conscription law. The party secured only six seats in the recent election, a significant drop from its previous performance. Activists are criticizing leadership and calling for a strategic re-evaluation. The decline in support was noted in both Haredi cities and traditional areas.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shas MK admits party lost traditional voters, becoming exclusively Haredi.
- The party secured only six seats in the recent election, a significant drop.
- This shift is expected to impact Shas's stance on the conscription law.
- Activists criticize leadership and call for a strategic re-evaluation.
- Shas received over 119,000 fewer votes compared to the previous election.
A Member of Knesset (MK) from the Shas party has acknowledged a significant shift in the party's voter base following the recent elections, admitting they have lost support among the "people of the fields" and have become exclusively a Haredi party. The MK, speaking to journalist Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabat, stated, "There is no doubt that we have lost the 'people of the fields.' We have become a Haredi party, no longer a party representing two publics." He lamented the failure to win back voters described as "those wearing transparent kippahs."
The election results are expected to influence Shas's political direction, particularly concerning difficult decisions on the conscription law. The MK explained that the party must now operate with the understanding that its voters are overwhelmingly Haredi. "We will have to conduct ourselves this way in the coming years, especially in tough decisions on the conscription law issue, with a clear understanding that our voters from now on are, for the most part, Haredi voters," he said.
Criticism is also surfacing among Shas activists regarding the party's leadership and the discrepancy between election forecasts and actual results. One senior activist expressed concern about becoming "the younger sister of United Torah Judaism" and called on Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri to re-evaluate the party's strategy and the information he received during the election campaign. The party had anticipated at least ten Knesset seats, but optimism turned to disappointment as results came in, leading to the cancellation of a planned election event.
Partial results indicate Shas has secured only six seats, with a possibility of gaining one more pending the final count of double-enveloped ballots. The party has received 273,708 votes so far, a decrease of 119,256 votes compared to the previous election's 392,964 votes at a similar stage of counting. Analysis suggests this decline in support is evident in both Haredi cities and peripheral areas where Shas previously enjoyed considerable backing from the traditional public.
