With coalition talks deadlocked, the polls are beginning as the likelihood of new elections for Knesset exists. The deadline for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s mandate to form a coalition expires on Wednesday, May 29. Mr. Netanyahu has exhausted all the possibilities, stating that if the last version of the draft law is not accepted, he will introduce a bill to dissolve the Knesset and force new elections, rather than have the mandate given to another party to try to form a coalition.

While the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Agudas Yisrael on Sunday night accepted the compromise draft law, Avigdor Lieberman, who commands five seats, remains firm in his refusal to accept any change to the bill, preferring to go to new elections.

According to the Panel4All survey conducted for Maariv, if elections were held today the right-wing bloc would increase to 68 seats from 65 six weeks ago.

Likud 35 (remains the same)
Blue and White 34 (down one)
Shas 8 (same)
Yahadut Hatorah 8 (same)
Hadash-Ta’al 7 (up one)
Labor 6 (same)
Yisrael Beitenu 6 (up one)
United Right-Wing 6 (up one)
New Right 5 (enters Knesset)
Meretz 5 (up one)

The Ra’am-Balad list and Kulanu do not pass the minimum electoral threshold.

The poll included 503 respondents among 3119 persons who were sent the internet poll. The poll was conducted on May 26, 2019, representative of the adult Israeli population, Jews and Arabs over the age of 18, with a margin of error of +/- 4.4%.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)