The return of Binyamin Netanyahu to the gates of power provokes in Israel “both relief and concern”, declares on franceinfo Wednesday, November 2 Denis Charbit, professor of political science, while the former Prime Minister and his party the Likud are about to win the last legislative elections. A poll at the exit of the polls on Tuesday, November 1 at 9 p.m. (French time), gave the majority to the Likud: with 61 or 62 seats out of the 120 in Parliament.
“It’s a relief, because probably, after five election campaigns, Israeli citizens have decided”notes Denis Charbit. “They have decided, it seems, in favor of Binyamin Netanyahu’s return to power. Concern because this return to power is accompanied by the rise of a far-right party that has always existed in the 10, 15 last years, but which, generally, totaled a number of deputies lower than five, six or seven..
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The country is therefore heading towards what the professor of political science in Israel calls a “straight right coalition”Orthodox nun, “with two other parties, which consolidate their popularity within the electorate”. This coalition could, according to Denis Charbit, complicate Israel’s policy and image within the country and on the international scene.
Binyamin Netanyahu, 73, the longest-lasting head of government in the country’s history, therefore finds himself forced to govern with the far right at his side and the orthodox parties. “In this regard, there is a kind of homogeneity, I would even say political and ideological”observes the lecturer at the Open University of Israel. “It is the victory of an alliance that has held firm. The Orthodox, for three and a half years, had given up playing this pivotal role consisting once of allying with the right, another time of allying with the center. They bet on the right, on Netanyahu and the challenge of these elections was to get the abstainers. It worked perfectly on the right and among the religious. On the other hand, it failed on the center and on the left “.
According to exit polls published on Tuesday 1 November in the evening, turnout is good for this fifth ballot in just over three years: at least 71% for these legislative elections. “Israelis wanted one thing above all: to get it over with”.
The counting of the votes in Israel is not over, however. The final results could arrive this Wednesday, November 2. Remains an unknown for Denis Charbit: “an Arab nationalist party” who could pass the “eligibility threshold during the day”and compromise the slim majority currently obtained by Benyamin Netanyahu.