Poll: Gantz big winner if new elections called, Likud drops to third largest party
Netanyahu’s current coalition would take only 46 seats – far shy of the necessary 60
The National Unity party, led by opposition politician and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, would reportedly become the largest party in Israel’s parliament, with 29 seats, if elections were held today, according to a new poll published on Sunday by Israel’s Channel 13 news.
The poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party plummeted to 20 of the 120 Knesset seats – down from its current 32 – making the party drop from the first to third largest in Israel.
According to the poll, Netanyahu’s government coalition would secure only 46 seats in the Knesset, while the opposition parties collectively would take 74 seats with the Arab Balad party, or 70 without.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party would slip one seat past Likud, becoming Israel’s second-largest party with 21 seats, while Netanyahu’s coalition partners – Religious Zionism and Jewish Power – would become Israel’s fourth largest faction with 11 seats.
Aryeh Deri’s Shas party would secure nine seats, while the United Torah Judaism party would win six seats.
The left-wing Meretz party would still not make it into the Knesset, according to the poll. In previous elections, the party failed to pass the threshold and currently holds no seats in the Knesset for the first time since 1992.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
