With about seven and a half months to municipal elections, many eyes are gazed at Jerusalem, wondering who the candidates will be. First and foremost, what is the incumbent going to do? Will Mayor Nir Barkat seek a third term or will he step down and begin setting the stage for his entry into national politics, seeking to become Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s successor.

Kikar Shabbos News reports that following the last Knesset elections, Barkat has maintained a Tel Aviv office, citing he began in the Kadima party which has been absorbed into Likud. The Tel Aviv office of Barkat has signed up no less than 7,000 to Likud since the last election. If he decides to run for mayor again, he will not be an easy candidate to beat as polls show a high level of voter satisfaction after two terms in office.

However, Barkat is not sitting back waiting for miracles, but rather, he has become active in Likud on a national level and attends events of Likud faction members, family simchas for example. He has learned to mingle among some of the decision makers, becoming a familiar face in certain Likud circles. He is working to become the natural successor to PM Netanyahu if and when he announces his retirement, or perhaps forced to step down earlier due to one of the police probes against him.

An internal poll commissioned by Barkat gives him the support of 68% of residents in an election should he seek a third term.

There are people waiting to hear his decision, including Moshe Leon, who was defeated in the last Jerusalem mayoral race, but reportedly, hopes to make a comeback. He was backed by Degel Hatorah and also the candidate of Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu party. Leon believes he will have the support of the chareidim, which is significant in a Jerusalem race.

Kikar Shabbos adds that both Yossi Deutsch (Agudas Yisrael) and Yitzchak Pindrus (Degel Hatorah) view themselves as candidates in the city’s mayoral race, having earned their experience serving years in Jerusalem City Hall. Meir Turgeman had also announced he planned candidacy but now, after being arrested, at the heart of a storm surrounding of recent arrests alleging high-level corruption in Jerusalem. His arrest is likely to create a new reality for him and the mayoral race.

Yet another potential candidate is Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin, who maintains good contacts with both the dati leumi and chareidi communities.

Much speculation will be heard in the coming months until such time candidates will have to announce their entry into the Jerusalem race.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)