According to a Haaretz election poll, a new party would unseat Likud as the nation’s largest party if elections for Knesset were held today. In addition, the right-wing (Likud, Bayit Yehudi, Yisrael Beitenu) would lose seven seats in Knesset. The poll questioned 504 respondents representing a cross section of the population. Margin of era +/- 4.4%.
The poll was commissioned by Haaretz, carried out by Dialogue Institute under the direction of Professor Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University.
A new party was introduced to the survey, a party headed by former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, who clearly remains popular despite the negative media during the so-called Harpaz affair. On the roster with Ashkenazi would be former senior Likud official and minister Gideon Saar, and current Kulanu party leader Moshe Kahlon.
According to the poll, this lineup would become the largest party in Knesset with 23 seats, placing Likud in the second slot with 22 seats.
The results
Gabi Ashkenazi: 23
Likud: 22
Machane Tzioni: 15
Yesh Atid: 13
Arab Bloc: 12
Bayit Yehudi: 10
Shas: 7
Yahadut Hatorah: 7
Meretz: 5
Yisrael Beitenu: 5
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
A poll commissioned by a left-wing newespaper is likely to reflect the bias of the newspaper (people want to give the “right” answer – the one the sponsor is looking for).
And hypothetical parties tend to do very in polls conducted well in advance of the election, or of the party coming into existence – meaning the poll is meaningless.
Add Moshe Feiglin and his Zehut Party into the mix and you will see the numbers realign. Feiglin could possibly take 3rd or 4th place at this time and move up as an election nears.
“A poll commissioned by a left-wing newespaper is likely to reflect the bias of the newspaper”
That has not generally been the case in the US. For example, Obama did 2.7% better than the Washington Post — then a liberal newspaper (it has since been sold to a billionaire with libertarian leanings) — poll predicted in 2012.