Israel: Polls show far-right governing coalition would lose to centrist National Unity alliance in a new election

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Two new polls by Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13, respectively, show that the centrist National Unity alliance led by former Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz would easily defeat the current far-right governing coalition in a new election, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The polls were taken amid massive nationwide protests over the government’s plans for judicial reform, which many see as a power grab that would weaken judicial authority to review and override bad laws created by politicians.

Channel 12 reported Sunday that its poll shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition would lose eight seats in the Knesset if an election were held now, leaving it with just 52 seats out of 120, TOI reports.

The centrist National Unity alliance would win 28 seats if elections were held today, with the Likud party winning just 24 seats, the Channel 12 poll shows.

Last week, the Channel 13 poll showed Likud winning just 20 seats, with the National Unity party winning 29 seats, TOI reports. According to this poll, the current right-wing governing coalition would win just 52 seats in a new election instead of the 64 seats they currently have. Meanwhile, the previous governing coalition would win back a Knesset majority of 63 seats.

The Channel 13 poll also found that just 34% of respondents would choose Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister, compared to 39% who would prefer Gantz, TOI reports.

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