The Battle for Survival
Following the resignation of the National Religious Party,
the Sharon government is now unequivocally a minority
government. After the resignation of HaIchud HaLeumi and MKs
Effie Eitam and Yitzchok Levy of the NRP some months ago it
was already officially a minority government, but with the
addition of outside support from MKs David Tal and Michael
Nudelman the coalition was still able to garner the support
of 61 MKs on most issues.
Now Sharon's coalition is down to just 54 MKs—40 from
the Likud and 14 from Shinui. But even this number is not
final. First of all Yehudit Naot (Shinui), who is too sick to
come to the Knesset even for important votes, is out of the
picture. Eli Aflalo's illness, which has kept him out of
commission for over a month, also has coalition heads
worried. Fifty-two is eight short of a majority and makes the
task of running the country unmanageable. Even the Likud
Party, with its rebel faction, lacks unity and cannot be
counted on for 40 votes at all times.
With the coalition and the Prime Minister fighting a battle
for survival, every vote carries considerable weight. Under
such circumstances the coalition is trying hard to win the
support of three homeless MKs: David Tal formerly of the Am
Echad party which decided to unite with the Labor Party
against his will; Michael Nudelman, who parted ways with his
fellow Ichud HaLeumi members, and Yosef Paritzky, who is
about to leave Shinui officially and become a one-man
party.
Knowing that their votes are very important—in some
cases critical—these sought-after MKs are driving a
hard bargain. Paritzky, who has not been named to any Knesset
committee since being fired from his ministerial post, is
demanding that he be appointed to the Finance and
Constitutional Committees—both coveted and influential
committees. Apparently the Likud has already agreed to give
him one of its six seats on the Constitutional Committee, but
the Finance Committee is another matter altogether. Not
wanting to budge from any of its seven seats that are already
allocated, the Likud offered him a seat on the Economics
Committee instead, saying that as a former Minister of
National Infrastructures this committee suits him perfectly
since it deals largely with fuel, electricity, water and
similar issues.
But so far Paritzky is holding out for the Finance Committee.
During the previous term he represented Shinui on the Finance
committee, raising cain over every religious issue that came
on the agenda. Perhaps he wants to return to center-stage by
barking at the chareidi sector and constantly arguing against
funding for religious ends in an effort to gain popularity
for the next elections.
Unlike Paritzky, David Tal already sits on Knesset
committees, but he wants a seat on the House Committee, too.
Perhaps he wants a hand in determining his future because the
House Committee is decisive in matters of party rifts,
setting up one-man parties, etc. The Likud is leaning towards
honoring his request, partly because party member Roni Bar-
On, one of the Knesset's most powerful figures, serves as
committee chairman. Therefore they can afford to give up one
seat. Tal will try for more but if his demands are reasonable
presumably the sides will reach an agreement.
As for Nudelman, everyone knows that he will be leaving the
Knesset at the end of this term. Nudelman sat on the Finance
Committee for years but a few months ago, when it was learned
that he supported the disengagement plan in defiance of his
party's decision, HaIchud HaLeumi replaced him with Benny
Alon, whom Sharon booted from the government.
A large majority of 80 MKs would be needed to dismiss
Nudelman from his post as Knesset Deputy Chairman. Since this
is highly unlikely, Nudelman's job is guaranteed until the
end of the term, which is apparently enough for him. His
negotiations with the Likud focus primarily on the
possibility of being appointed ambassador to one of the
former Soviet countries. With no chance of sitting on the
next Knesset, this would ensure him a job in the public
sector for at least the next few years.
If the negotiations between the Likud and these three MKs
prove successful, the coalition will be up to 56 when Aflalo
returns. Of the 119 MKs (not including Naot) this is still
not a majority, but it is much better than 53. Numbers like
these still mean that the coalition must try to secure a
majority every time by appealing to individual party
interests. And sometimes there will not be a majority. In any
case the coalition will face a day-to-day struggle, a battle
for survival to prevent total collapse.
