Aryeh Deri Predicts Right-Wing Victory and Up to 66 Mandates as Elections Approach
With under two weeks until the Knesset elections, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri predicts the right-wing bloc could secure up to 66 mandates, warning against wasted votes for smaller parties.
With less than two weeks remaining until the Knesset elections, the latest poll analyzed by Shlomo Filber grants the right-wing bloc 62 mandates. The Likud leads with 29 mandates, while Shas maintains its strength with 10. However, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri believes the picture at the ballot boxes could be even more optimistic for the right-wing bloc.
Deri Predicts 64 to 66 Mandates
In an interview granted Wednesday evening to the program "The Patriots" on Channel 14, Deri presented an especially optimistic forecast, stating that the right can win if it regets itself. Referring to Filber's polls, he estimated that the bloc could reach 64 and even 66 mandates.
According to him, the key to victory lies precisely in the small right-wing parties, some of which are currently below the electoral threshold. Deri warned against the loss of votes that could harm the bloc's chances of forming a government, emphasizing the need for smaller factions to consolidate.
Concerns Over Wasted Votes
In fact, Deri's concerns are reflected in the poll data itself: the reservists-economic party, which just two days earlier won four mandates, dropped below the electoral threshold. Similarly, the "Amcha Yisrael" party led by Ofer Winter received only 2.7%. Filber himself warned this week that Winter's party could lead to the wasting of about 70,000 right-wing votes, estimating that without wasted votes, the right-wing bloc could reach at least 63 to 64 mandates.
The Debate Over the "Defendant Bill"
Another issue raised during the interview is the "Defendant Bill", which has returned to the headlines in recent days regarding initiatives seeking to restrict a criminal defendant from serving as prime minister. Yashar! party chairman Gadi Eisenkot declared yesterday his intention to promote an amendment that would eliminate the distinction between a minister and a prime minister on this issue. Simultaneously, Avigdor Lieberman claimed that senior Likud officials offered to promote a law after the elections preventing an individual facing criminal proceedings from running for the Knesset.
Deri sharply attacked these initiatives, claiming they actually demonstrate the fear of Benjamin Netanyahu's opponents regarding the election results. As the elections approach, the debate over fitness requirements for office has returned to the center of the electoral race, alongside the battle for every vote that could determine the identity of the next government.
