Parliamentary elections in Israel – election to the Knesset – for or against Netanyahu? – News

  • Israel has begun electing a new parliament – the Knesset.
  • Around 6.8 million voters are called upon to determine the 120 MPs.
  • Right-wing opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu hopes to return as prime minister.
  • Netanyahu is also willing to forge an alliance with the extreme right-wing camp, which according to polls could become the third-strongest force for the first time.

It is already the fifth election within three and a half years. 40 lists compete, but only a third is expected to make the 3.25 percent hurdle. The first forecasts will be published when the polling stations close at 9:00 p.m. (CET). However, the final result is not expected before Thursday.

Two big camps – for and against Netanyahu

According to polls, Netanyahu’s Likud party could become the strongest force again. However, it is uncertain whether his right-wing religious camp will be able to secure a majority of the seats overall. The latest survey assumes 60 of the 120 seats in Parliament.

Legend:

Netanyahu was Prime Minister of Israel for many years.

keystone/Oliver Lang/dapd

A possible stalemate is therefore expected again between the camp of Netanyahu and that of his opponents, led by the liberal Prime Minister Jair Lapid of the Future Party. Should there not be a clear majority, Lapid would remain in office for the time being. Should the formation of a government fail, another new election could become necessary.

Jair Lapid: The Jewish State as a Miracle to be Secured


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Israeli Prime Minister Jair Lapid called for a lively voter turnout. “Go vote today, for the future of our children, for the future of our state, vote well and good luck to all of us,” said the 58-year-old chairman of the liberal Future Party, according to the news site ynet, when voting in Tel Aviv.

He had previously visited the grave of his father Josef Lapid, a Holocaust survivor who became known as a journalist and politician. “My father kept telling me all his life: Remember that the greatest miracle we have seen is the existence of a separate state for the Jews,” wrote the prime minister on Twitter. “I promised him this morning that we will keep working hard to ensure the future of this miracle.”

Lapid’s camp includes parties from the right to the left. The 58-year-old spoke out in favor of establishing an independent Palestinian state. What unites his camp above all is the will to prevent Netanyahu from returning. Corruption proceedings are pending against the 73-year-old.

The party landscape in Israel is highly fragmented and driven by interests. Even parties from similar camps are often not able to form alliances. In addition to differences in content, this is also due to personal disputes. For example, Netanyahu’s relationship with other main figures of the right-wing camp is considered extremely bad.

Elections in a loop

The country on the Mediterranean has been in a permanent crisis for years. The past elections had often led to unclear majorities.

Arab parties and right-wing extremists influence election results


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The decisive factor is the turnout of the Arab population. If one of the smaller parties in the Lapid camp fails to clear the 3.25 percent hurdle, it could pave the way for an ultra-right government under Netanyahu. The extreme right-wing alliance of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Religious Zionist Party, is seen as a possible kingmaker.

The current eight-party coalition led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett collapsed in June after losing its majority after just 12 months. Subsequently, Foreign Minister Lapid took over the post of head of government.

source site-72