Likud Eyes 55-56 Mandates for Blocking Bloc Strategy Ahead of Elections

Despite public statements from Likud claiming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc will secure 61 mandates or more, internal discussions reveal a more pragmatic target: 55 to 56 mandates. Sources within the party indicate that while this would fall short of a governing majority, it would serve as a blocking bloc to prevent the opposition from forming a government.

The Blocking Bloc Strategy

A result of 55 to 56 mandates for the Likud bloc would severely complicate efforts by Netanyahu's opponents to assemble a coalition. According to party insiders, such a scenario would likely force either repeat elections or an attempt to peel away a partner from the rival camp. Likud officials assess that Naftali Bennett is the only figure from the opposing camp who might consider such a political maneuver.

Party sources involved in voter turnout operations emphasize that these figures remain internal political assessments at this stage. They note that a 55-seat bloc would require opponents to secure extensive backing from Arab parties to build a coalition, arguing that support from Ra'am alone might prove insufficient.

"If we manage to secure an additional partner from the change bloc, it could only be Bennett, without Lapid of course," a right-wing source noted, recalling Bennett's past political shifts.

Targeting Bennett Without Lapid

Likud sources evaluate that repeat elections could politically damage Bennett, potentially leading him to reach an arrangement with Netanyahu. However, officials clarified that no direct contacts have taken place thus far between Netanyahu's associates and Bennett's camp.

Additionally, Likud strategists suggest that another stalemate leading to repeat elections could undermine Gadi Eisenkot's status as a leading candidate for the premiership within the opposition bloc.