Dramatic mandate poll: The candidate who refuses to merge and is at risk of being eliminated
While the mandate map reveals a turnaround at the top and the right-wing bloc strengthens to 53 mandates, the well-known former officer insists on running alone despite shaky data that places him in a particularly dangerous zone.
The political system is entering the final stretch of closing the lists, and the talks in the center-right bloc are in full swing.
In Benny Gantz's "Blue and White" (Kachol Lavan), a possibility of a dramatic merger is being examined that would place Ayelet Shaked in the second spot, alongside Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel. The emerging move leaves Gantz's veteran MKs in great tension, as they follow from afar for fear of being pushed out of the top five. At the same time, Shaked is examining the feasibility of returning to politics, while Tropper is conducting a parallel dialogue with Gadi Eizenkot and Naftali Bennett as well.
On the other side, Gilad Erdan and Ofer Winter are trying to find their place. According to the "Israel Hayom" poll conducted by Dudi Hasid, Erdan is struggling to penetrate the public consciousness without a massive campaign and needs a merger to pass. Conversely, Winter continues to refuse mergers with veteran politicians and stands at only four mandates — a shaky picture that places him in a dangerous zone, as a focused campaign against him could leave him out of the Knesset.
The mandate picture shows that the Likud receives 21 mandates, while Eizenkot's "Yashar!" party leads with 24 mandates. "Beyachad" stands at 13 mandates, and the Democrats weaken to 9. In the religious and ultra-Orthodox sector, the union between Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin brings 6 mandates, Shas receives 7, United Torah Judaism 8, and Otzma Yehudit 7. While Ra'am receives 5 mandates and the Joint List 7, the entire right-wing bloc strengthens to 53 mandates following the mergers and the stabilization of the numbers.
