With Election Day hours away, clearly, whomever is given the presidential mandate to form a coalition government, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or Benny Gantz, will have a difficult time in the best of scenarios.
Based on statements made by faction leaders during electioneering, we are aware of the following. Following is a list of some of the demands being made by the players vying for a space in 21st Knesset. In most of the cases, these are not just wish lists, but the candidates stated receiving the portfolio they want is a condition for entering the coalition.
Health Portfolio
Yaakov Litzman
Orly Abekasis-Levi
Yitzchak Shmuli (If Labor party joins the coalition)
Finance Ministry
Moshe Kahlon
Moshe Feiglin/Zehut
Defense Ministry
Avigdor Lieberman
Naftali Bennet
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Justice
Ayelet Shaked
Education
Betzalel Smotrich
Tamar Zandberg
Moshe Feiglin/Zehut
PM Netanyahu stated it will remain in Likud hands
Immigrant Absorption
Aryeh Deri/Shas
Interior
Aryeh Deri/Shas
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Let’s look at reality.
Labour is highly unlikely to join a Netanyahu led coalition.
It is an open question as to whether Orly Abekasis-Levi party will pass the minimum threshold needed to win seats.
It is an open question as to whether Shas will continue to pass the minimum threshold needed to win seats.
Netanyahu will give the Defence portfolio to anyone but Bennet and Bennet knows that. Lieberman will not join the coalition because of the heavy price Netanyahu will pay to the haredim.
The reality is that even if it gets 3-4 seats less than the Likud, Gantz party may well be in the best position to form a coalition. With no Haredim and no Bennet, things will not be so difficult.