Israel voted for a new government on Tuesday, and although no
party emerged with a clear mandate, there was a definite
swing towards the Right. Whether this will prove beneficial
to the chareidi community remains to be seen.
The results were: Kadima - 28 Knesset seats; Likud - 27;
Yisroel Beiteinu - 15; Labor Party - 13; Shas - 11; United
Torah Judaism - 5; National Union - 4; Jewish Home - 3;
Meretz - 3; as well as the Arab parties: Hadash - 4; United
Arab List - 4; Balad - 3. The results could change somewhat
when the soldiers' votes are counted.
Those parties with a clear Rightist policy include, Likud,
Yisrael Beiteinu, National Union, Jewish Home, and to some
extent Shas, especially since it committed in advance to
recommending Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu to form the next
government.
The next stage is for the President of Israel, currently
Shimon Peres, to ask one of the party leaders to form the
next government.
Although President Peres is formerly of the Kadima party, he
will not necessarily call upon Kadima leader Livni to try to
form a government. The president decides whom to ask after
consulting all the parties as to whom they recommend for the
next prime minister. If there is a clear preference for
Netanyahu, Peres would call upon him even though his party
has one seat less than Kadima.
Probably the only thing clear about the next government is
that it will not include an Arab party. Everything else is
possible.
If Netanyahu forms a straight Right government, he would be
very dependent on the United Torah Judaism, as well as the
smaller National Union and Jewish home parties. It is easier
for a prime minister when he can deal with a few larger
groups rather than many small groups, so Netanyahu will
probably try to avoid this, if he is able to.
Meretz is quite small and has no vocal spokesman. Although
both Kadima and Labor are anti-religious, it is not a deeply
held principle of theirs and it may be hoped that the anti-
religious rhetoric will be muted.
