Amid a political crisis, Israel is electing its deputies for the fifth time in three and a half years.
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The early elections were triggered by the overthrow of the government in June, at a time when the Jewish state was plunged into a deep political crisis. The right-wing bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu may not be able to form a government, but it may win.
At 73, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is trying to secure a majority of 61 of the 120 members of Parliament with allies from ultra-Orthodox parties and the far-right, which has the wind in his hand. hard
In front of him is 58-year-old Yair Lapid, prime minister since July, leader of the Yesh Atid party (there is a future in French). He was the leader of a unique coalition in Israel’s history that united the left, center, right and Arab parties. Yair Lapid’s coalition lost its majority in parliament with the departure of right-wing elected representatives, forcing the government to call new elections. The government was too heterogeneous to resist for a long time and lived only one year.
This early election is a new leap into the unknown for Israelis, as there will be no real winner. Likud, the party of former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, will probably prevail, but the chances of winning a majority are almost zero, our correspondent in Jerusalem analyzes. Sami Boukhelifa. For years, no political formation could have a majority. After that, it is necessary to start the game of political alliances with a mosaic of right, left, Arab, Islamist and even ultra-Orthodox parties.
This last election campaign was marked by the strong rise of the far right. Two clearly racist and homophobic parties stand out: Bezalel Smotrich andItamar Ben Gvir. An alliance of fanatics that could help ex-prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu return to power.
As soon as an Arab takes a stone or a firecracker in his hand, he must be put in a shell to send him back from my country. He doesn’t belong here anymore. I am stressed by the idea of a left-wing government. This is a threat to Israel.
Israeli far-right candidate Itamar Ben Gvir at the meeting
Election chain
More broadly, Israel there is a great political crisis Since April 2019. Benjamin Netanyahu then surely thought he could last a few more years. His party had won the legislative elections and held a majority in Parliament with its traditional allies. But he faced an obstacle: the demands of Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the ultranationalist but secular formation, which was incompatible with the conditions imposed by religious associations.
After several weeks of negotiations, Benjamin Netanyahu had to admit failure and he voted to dissolve the newly elected Knesset. Another vote held in September 2019 ended in the same stalemate. Benjamin Netanyahu’s main opponent, Benny Gantz, is also unable to form a government. After that, the parliament was dissolved again for the second time in six months. But the ballots follow each other and the balance of forces remains more or less the same. And in the third vote held in less than a year, the two rivals resigned to form an unlikely coalition.
But the coalition lasted less than a year, falling on the budget vote, leading to a fourth vote. The political crisis has been going on for two years now. And still no party can form a stable government. Centrist Yair Lapid works and succeeds in an alliance of almost all oppositions: from the most left-wing parties to pro-colonial groups through Islamists. This time Binyamin Netanyahu is ousted, but the government falls again, leading to elections.
Disgruntled voters
Faced with this situation, some voters remain loyal to their political family, while others have tried everything and don’t know what to do anymore. Some Israelis on the street do not even want to set foot in the polling station. The latter are tired of repeated inquiries that cost taxpayers millions. “ We are more divided than evercomplains an Israeli. We are against each other. We hate each other and hate is the fuel for Israel’s war machine. While Arabs and Jews are killing each other, Israeli officials use it to stay in power. Division is their strategy. There will be a sixth, seventh and eighth survey in the coming months. »
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