Legislative in Israel: Netanyahu in the lead but without a majority, the worried Likud
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeting his supporters at Likud HQ in Jerusalem, March 24, 2021. AP - Ariel Schalit
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Unsurprisingly, Benjamin Netanyahu tops the legislative elections in Israel, according to the first results on Tuesday March 23.
But the outgoing Prime Minister does not obtain, for the moment, the majority necessary to govern.
The final results are still not known.
During the night, Benjamin Netanyahu claimed "
a huge victory for the right
".
A rallying cry through which he hopes to gather sufficient support to remain in power.
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Gloomy atmosphere in the ranks of Likud, writes
our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Sami Boukhelifa
.
These fourth elections have given rise to hope.
Benjamin Netanyahu's supporters expected a clear victory.
For Mody, a young activist,
this short victory without a
clear
majority
constitutes a cold shower: “
The situation is tense.
I'm going to bed and I don't know who will be Prime Minister tomorrow morning.
I hope it will be Benyamin Netanyahu.
At least we know him.
"
Any upcoming alliance games?
The alternative would be a coalition of ruling center and left parties.
But that, Shmuel, another Likud activist, does not want to hear about.
So, for him, it is absolutely necessary to unite the right: “
Netanyahu must reach out to other leaders of the right like Naftali Bennett and
Gideon Saar
.
Otherwise, either we will go to a fifth election or the left will win.
And that is unacceptable.
"
The final results will not be known until Friday.
There is only one certainty: no party obtains a majority to govern.
Everything is based on alliance games.
Caution
It is therefore with caution that the outgoing Israeli Prime Minister welcomes the election results.
His Likud party is well ahead, but the vote count is far from over.
It is only this evening that the 400,000 votes under double envelopes, from the military, diplomats, detainees and also for the first time from medical teams and Covid-19 positives will begin to be taken into account.
And that could radically change the outcome of these elections.
Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has already indicated his main option: a right-wing, stable and strong government, on its own terms.
And last night he already made contact with the partners of his future coalition which would be, still according to forecasts, the most right-wing that Israel has known.
Return of subjects like annexation of part of the West Bank?
This could put on the table issues such as the annexation of part of the West Bank, a weakening of the judicial system and of course the freezing of lawsuits against Netanyahu himself .. For the editorialist of
Yediot Aharonot
all will now depend on the far-right Kahanists and it is, he believes, a real "
ideological catastrophe
".
► See also: Israeli legislative elections: episode IV
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Israel
Benjamin Netanyahu