Some two weeks ago Ladaat reported that MK Meir Porush was not planning to participate in the presidential election. He plans to absent himself from the vote according to the report.

Ladaat now reports that Porush last week purchased a ticket to travel abroad to take part in a family event as well as a chasenah in Monsey, NY. He will not be in Israel on 12 Sivan, Presidential Election Day.

It is difficult to read the chareidi political map regarding this week’s presidential election. On the surface many believed the natural candidate for the chareidim is Reuven Rivlin due to his traditional lifestyle, family roots and his general affiliation with the frum community. However, it appears Rivlin’s support for the new draft law is a major strike against him as is the fact he is the candidate of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Voting against the prime minister may take precedence over electing the best candidate for the post in the eye of the chareidi lawmakers.

With the withdrawal of candidate Binyamin Ben-Eliezer from the race, the question is which of the remaining candidates will receive his votes. Most feel the votes will be divided and no single candidate will cash in on Ben-Eliezer’s decision to drop out. While Dali Itzik appears the likely candidate to benefit from Ben-Eliezer’s move, she will not likely receive additional votes since Labor officials have not forgiven the former Laborite from defecting to the Kadima party. All of the candidates are likely to each pick up a few additional votes but none are likely to earn all of Ben-Eliezer’s support.

However, the picture regarding the chareidi MKs is a different one as Itzik is likely to receive additional chareidi votes as a result of Ben-Eliezer leaving the race.

Bottom line, the ballot is a hidden one and while MKs can make promises publically, at the end of the day they can vote for whom they wish and no one will be the wiser.

The real question is who will be more successful in the second round run-off ballot for most believe none of the candidate will receive a majority of MKs in round one of the vote. Regarding Itzik, if she runs off against Reuven Rivlin in a second round then many predict her chances of emerging the victor will have significantly increased.

The other candidates, Meir Sheetrit, Dalia Dorner and Dan Shectman are not viewed as having a realistic chance of being elected.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)