In the Israeli political system, Election Day, unlike in the USA, isn’t “written in stone.” And another major difference between the two systems is that in Israel we don’t elect a Prime Minister. We vote for a political party, and the leader of the party that is large and powerful enough to form a ruling coalition becomes the Prime Minister. He or she has the right to stay in office up to four years, when the coalition automatically “dissolves.” But it’s increasingly common for either a “sitting” Prime Minister to take advantage of polls showing support (meaning a good chance to increase his/her party’s MKs) and call elections a bit early or for the Knesset to vote “no confidence” in the government which effectively dissolves the government and forces early elections.
For months already, there have been rumors of new elections in the near future.
And for months already, two of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s coalition partners have not been acting like partners. Finance Minister Yair Lapid, Yesh Atid (There’s a Future), and Justice Minister Tsipi Livni, Hat’nuah (The Movement), have been campaigning against Bibi as much as Opposition Leader, Issac Herzog, Avodah (Labor), has been doing. Loyalty isn’t on their menu.
Polls show that Livni is on the verge of finding her party in the footnotes of Israeli History, and Lapid’s party will shrink by a hefty percentage. IMRA:
| Sunday, November 30, 2014 |
| Dialog Poll: National camp 77 seats (Bayit Yehudi 2nd largest party |
| Dialog Poll: National camp 77 seats (Bayit Yehudi 2nd largest party after Likud) Dr. Aaron Lerner – IMRA 30 November 20014 Poll carried out 26-27 November under the supervision of statistics professor and pollster Camil Fuchs of a representative sample of 535 adult Israelis (including Israeli Arabs). Published in Haaretz on 30 November August 2014 Statistical error +/- 4.1 percentage points If elections held today (expressed in Knesset seats) Current Knesset seats in [brackets]. Please note: There are 120 seats in the Knesset. Parties must receive a minimum of 4 seats in the elections to be included in the Knesset. After elections are held the coalition forming a government must receive 61 votes in a vote of confidence in the Knesset. — [31] Likud Beiteinu (Likud & Yisrael Beiteinu) 24 [—] Likud 11 [—] Yisrael Beiteinu 11 [19] Lapid “Yesh Atid” Party 13 [15] Labor 16 [12] Bayit Yehudi 06 [11] Shas 08 [07] Yahadut Hatorah 04 [06] Livni party “Hatnua” Party 06 [06] Meretz 09 [11] Arab parties 00 [02] Kadima 12 [—] Kachlon party [counted in national camp] 29 UNDECIDED expressed in the seats they represent Should Netanyahu run in the coming elections to be prime minster? 47% The time has come for him to retire and leave the stage for others 45% He should run another time 08% Don’t know Why do you think the prime minister is promoting the national law? 41% Because of Likud primaries and the struggle for votes from the Right 40% To strengthen Israel’s position as a Jewish State 19% Don’t know Of the following who is most appropriate to be prime minister? Netanyahu 35% Bennett 6% Herzog 17% Lapid 7% Liberman 8% Don’t know 17% Are you satisfied with the performance of PM Netanyahu? Yes 38% Are you satisfied with the performance of FM Liberman? Yes 39% No 47% Don’t know 14% Are you satisfied with the performance of Treasury Minister Lapid? Yes 23% No 65% Don’t know 12% Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis) (mail POB 982 Kfar Sava) Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730 INTERNET ADDRESS: [email protected] Website: http://www.imra.org.il |
Emphasis mine, please pay attention to the two contradictory results here that I made “bold.” Although a very large percentage of the people polled, 47%, said that Netanyahu should no longer be Prime Minister, when given a choice between him and the wannabes, Bibi got the most support; nobody was even close. It’s pretty clear to me that in today’s political climate, new elections would just support the Likud and Netanyahu. He will have to work hard, again, to form a coalition, but the Israeli public, as much as it loves to kvetch, does not see anyone as competent/better to replace him.