ALBAWABA – Israel is preparing for a historic political milestone as the ruling coalition announced the next parliamentary elections will be held in the country on October 27. It is the first time in decades that a government has served its full term and elections are being held as scheduled.
The poll will be the first to be held on time in nearly 38 years and the first Israeli administration to serve a full term in 53 years, ending a protracted period of political instability typified by recurrent snap elections, Israel’s Channel 12 said.
The announcement follows growing political uncertainty, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing mounting pressure as recent opinion surveys show his Likud party lagging the opposition Yashar party, led by former Israeli military leader Gadi Eisenkot. Surveys also have shown that Eisenkot is a front-runner to become the next Israeli prime minister.
Ahead of the vote, political splits within Israel’s right-wing camp remain obvious. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister for national security, also publicly challenged Netanyahu’s notion that a national unity government may be formed after the election, stating he did not want opposition members like Gadi Eisenkot or former prime minister Naftali Bennett to join the next coalition.
Ben-Gvir called on the right-wing parties to unify behind strong electoral lists, saying the right has to win the next elections.
Tuesday’s vote is seen as one of Israel’s most crucial elections in years, with voters weighing in on whether Netanyahu can further extend his long stint in government or whether the opposition can capitalize on mounting unhappiness seen in recent polling.
