Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks about Likud’s position in the election show that his party is struggling ahead of the upcoming legislative elections. Netanyahu said during closed-door meetings that Likud would lose the election “unless something changes.”
Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that Netanyahu acknowledged Likud had lost 10 seats. The prime minister said, “I don’t know how to win them back.”
Likud ranks second in Channel 13 poll
A poll published by Channel 13 on Wednesday projected that Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party would win 24 seats if elections were held today. That result was two seats lower than the figure in the channel’s poll published last week.
The same poll gave Likud 19 seats. Netanyahu’s party had stood at 23 seats in the previous poll.
The polls show that support for Likud is declining, while Eisenkot’s Yashar is increasing its support. Surveys conducted by organizations close to groups on the Israeli right present a stronger picture for Netanyahu and Likud.
These results indicate that Netanyahu is skeptical of opinion polls favorable to him and believes his party’s actual position is worse than the polls suggest.
Neither bloc reaches the number needed for a majority
According to the seat distribution in the Channel 13 poll, the bloc formed by Jewish opposition parties led by Eisenkot would win 57 seats, while Netanyahu’s coalition bloc would win 48. Arab parties would hold a combined 15 seats.
Forming a government in Israel requires the support of at least 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset.
In response to a question about the candidates’ suitability for the premiership, Eisenkot received 46 percent support. Netanyahu’s support stood at 35 percent, while 19 percent of respondents answered, “I don’t know.”
General elections planned for October 27
General elections in Israel are planned for October 27. The vote is considered critical to Netanyahu’s political future.
Netanyahu has led the government described as the most right-wing in Israel’s history since the end of December 2022. The Israeli prime minister also faces accusations of corruption, authoritarianism and failure.
Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court over war crimes allegedly committed in the Gaza Strip.
