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Status: 23.03.2021 9:59 pm
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing conservative Likud party has emerged as the strongest force in Israel’s parliamentary elections according to forecasts, despite slight losses. Thus, Netanyahu has a chance to re-form a government.
In Israel’s fourth parliamentary election two years from now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing conservative Likud is expected to become the strongest force. The party won 31 to 33 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, according to the forecasts of television stations. Compared to the elections of a year ago, this is a slight inconvenience. But Netanyahu has a chance to form a government.
That depends on whether the pro-settler Jamina party sided with Netanyahu. Its president, Naftali Bennett, entered the election campaign with the aim of replacing Netanyahu. However, he did not rule out forming a coalition with Netanyahu. Under Jamina, Netanyahu’s bloc is expected to reach a majority of 61 out of 120 MPs. Netanyahu has been in office continuously since 2009.
Israel in political crisis for more than two years
Behind Likud, the future party of opposition leader Jair Lapid came in second place (16-18 seats). Third place is still unclear. The forecasts place the Schas party strictly religious or the alliance of the Arab party there. According to forecasts, a total of twelve parties overcame the 3.25 percent hurdle required to enter the Knesset. Most of them had single digit mandate numbers.
Israel has been in a permanent political crisis for more than two years. After two elections in 2019, Netanyahu failed to form a government. After the 2020 elections, under the impression of the Corona crisis, he and his Likud formed a coalition with the Blau-Weiß center alliance, but it broke up in December due to a budget dispute. Throughout Election Day, there was little turnout in the vote.
Special polling stations for people infected with corona
The party landscape in Israel is highly fragmented and based on interests. Even if they come from a field, parties are often incompatible with alliances. In addition to programmatic differences, this is also due to personal animosities. Netanyahu’s relationship with other leading right-wing figures such as Bennett, Gideon Saar and Avigdor Lieberman is considered very poor.
Due to the Corona crisis, special security rules were applied to the elections, in Israel there is no postal vote as in Germany. The infected people voted in special polling stations that were installed on buses, for example. Even at Ben Gurion Airport, travelers had a choice. A total of about 6.6 million people were summoned to elect the members of the 24th Knesset in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu wanted to score with a vaccination campaign
The dominant theme of the electoral campaign was the crisis of the crown. Above all, Netanyahu wanted to score with Israel’s rapid vaccination campaign. However, many have recently expressed dissatisfaction with his handling of the pandemic. The number of infections in Israel was sometimes significantly higher than in Germany, and citizens had to accept long phases of lockdown. Netanyahu is also under pressure due to a corruption lawsuit against him.
According to the Israeli army, a rocket was fired at Israel in the early afternoon. Therefore, there were no casualties or material damage. According to media reports, the projectile landed in the region around Beerscheva. Netanyahu was in town at the time.
