Israel: how can Benjamin Netanyahu manage to form a majority?

Text by: RFI Follow

These are not yet final results: 8% of the ballots have yet to be counted. But for the moment, no clear majority emerges from the legislative elections organized Monday in Israel.

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem , Guilhem Delteil

Benyamin Netanyahu's Likud tops the list with 35 seats in Parliament. The outgoing Prime Minister began negotiations on Monday with a view to forming a government. But with his allies of the radical right and religious parties, he can count on the support of only 58 deputies, three less than the absolute majority. So, after two consecutive failures, how can Benyamin Netanyahu manage to form a majority?

The first glances are directed towards Avigdor Liberman. It is " the closest in terms of program, " said Maoz Rosenthal, a lecturer at the Lauder School of Public Administration. His party, Israel Beitenou, was also a member of the coalition until December 2018. But the former defense minister does not want to enter a government with religious formations. Above all, he launched himself into a battle against Benjamin Netanyahu.

"He said it himself. And the members of his party, their elected members of the Knesset also repeat it constantly: he does not want Netanyahu as Prime Minister. But he also says he does not want a fourth election, "he said.

Avigdor Liberman did not specify what he intended to do to implement this latest commitment. For now, he says he expects the final results.
Another scenario would be to create divisions within the opposition. And Bleu-Blanc, a three-party coalition led by Benny Gantz, would be a prime target, says Maoz Rosenthal.

“ Israeli political history is not very lenient towards centrist parties that have these kinds of combinations. Regularly during elections, a centrist party is created but in the long term, it dissolves: some of its members go to the right, others to the left and some leave the political scene completely , "he underlines.

But Bleu-Blanc will not be the only formation targeted by Benyamin Netanyahu. After the two previous elections, he also sought support from the left.

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• Israel
• Benyamin netanyahu