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Likud Set to Dominate Next Israeli Election
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Support for the opposition Likud party has increased noticeably in Israel, according to a poll by Teleseker published in Maariv. The results suggest Likud, led by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would secure 35 seats in the next Knesset election.
Israel Our Home, led by Avigdor Lieberman, is second with 16 mandates, followed by the governing Kadima party of prime minister Ehud Olmert with 13 seats, the Labour party of Amir Peretz also with 13 mandates, the International Organization of Torah-observant Sephardic Jews (Shas) with nine seats, and the coalition of National Union (Ikhud) and Mafdal (National Religious Party) also with nine mandates.
In March 2006, Israeli voters renewed the Knesset. Kadima, founded by former prime minister Ariel Sharon and led by Olmert, secured 29 seats. Labour, the Retired People's Party (Gil) and Shas joined Kadima in a coalition. In October, the Israeli cabinet approved the addition of Israel Our Home to the government. Olmert's coalition now has the support of 78 of the Knesset's 120 members.
In a Mar. 22 speech, Netanyahu criticized the current administration, saying, "I call on the government: you were sent to bring a better future and you failed. Step down. True leaders need to make not only difficult decisions, but correct decisions. Listen to the people: they want a different way and a better future."
Polling Data
Prospective results of a Knesset election
(Results presented in seats)
Mar. 2007 | Nov. 2006 | |
Likud (Consolidation) | 35 | 29 |
Israel Our Home (Yisrael Beiteinu) | 16 | 14 |
Kadima (Forward) | 13 | 18 |
Labour | 13 | 12 |
International Organization of | 9 | 10 |
National Union (Ikhud) and | 9 | 9 |
Together (Yachad) | 6 | 7 |
Gil (Retired People's Party) | 4 | 6 |
Yahadut Hatorah (United Torah Judaism) | 5 | 5 |
Arab parties | 10 | 10 |
Source: Teleseker / Maariv
Methodology: Interviews with 460 Israeli adults, conducted on Mar. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 4.3 per cent.