Posted on 02/10/2009 12:11:09 PM PST by Victory111
Kadima wins elections, but will it form the next government? Kadima and its Chairwoman, Tzipi Livni, are the big winners of the 2009 general elections, according to a Rafi Smith exit poll commissioned by Ynet, with Likud finishing a disappointing 2nd.
Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu delivered at crunch time to become Israel's third-largest party, while Ehud Barak's Labor party sustained a harsh blow. Exit polls by Israel's major television channels showed similar results
(Excerpt) Read more at ynetnews.com ...
Just friggin wonderful.
Unbelievable.
“Today was great day for Marx and Mohammed”
Well said, but sad.
With voting stations officially closed, exit polls at 10 p.m. suggested that Kadima would win the general elections on Tuesday.
However, due to the dramatic rise in support of the Likud and Israel Beiteinu, it seemed that Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu would have a better chance than Kadima head Tzipi Livni of forming the next coalition.
The Channel 1 poll showed Kadima winning 30 mandates, and Likud trailing closely behind with 28 seat. Israel Beiteinu was predicted to earn 14 mandates, and Labor was slated to get 13 seats.
The Channel 2 poll narrowed the gap between first and second place, showing Kadima with 29 mandates, and Likud with 27 seats. Israel Beiteinu was predicted to earn 15 mandates, and 13 seats.
Channel 10 followed the same pattern, predicting Kadima with 30 mandates, Kadima with 28 seats, Israel Beiteinu with 15 mandates, and Labor with 13 seats.
Once the final results of the election are known, President Shimon Peres will begin a round of consultations with party leaders, to hear who they are recommending for prime minister. In the past, the task of forming a coalition has been given to the head of the largest party. But election legislation gives Peres wide leeway, and he can grant the first opportunity to the party leader who he judges has the best chance in forming a government, even if that party did not earn the most mandates in the election.
The right wing and religious parties will hold the majority, as long as they don’t align with Livni. If they stick together this can be good for Israel, because Netanyahu was skewing toward the middle. It seems that Netanyahu started to lose traction when he unilaterally moved Moshe Feiglin from the 20th or so seat on the Likud slate, which he won in the primary, to 37th or so.
Likud; Israel our Home; Shas; United Torah Judaism; Jewish Home; and Ichud Leumi are expected to take more than 60 of the 120 seats collectively.
See post 19 and 23
Kadima is to the left of Netanyahu’s Likus. But the Right could form a stronger coalition and govern.
Israeli Jews are beginning to vote like American Jews.
Exit polls showed Shimon Peres winning against Netanyahu in the 95 election. They were wrong then, they could be wrong now.
Or the exit polls are right and G-d is preparing us for the End Times.
Or, Lieberman’s Israel Our Home party could align with Livni because they want to secularize Israeli society. In that case, Livni would be able to form the coalition.
Thanks for the figure of 10 for Shas. Looks like they will hold the balance.
Also, as you say, this is much more of a catastrophe for Labor than it is for Likud. Sharon founded Kadima, and it might have been the death of Likud, but they went so far left after Sharon’s stroke that it looks as if it may be the death of Labor instead. A ton of leftists must have voted for Kadima instead of Labor, but the conservative voters were not taken in.
No, Israeli Jews have NO faith in their government so they don’t care. Apathy is a terrible sin, and it has consequences (just like elections, as Israel will soon find out).
its pretty sad
Some Israelis know that Obama will be “even-handed” in the dispute and that Jones et al.blame Israel for the continuing violence. Sothey choose the status quo,
The exit polls in Israel ARE NOT RELIABLE!!!! Just a few months ago they had Livni beating Mofaz by about 10%, and the vote counting went on all night until she won by 1% (and even that was questionable due to vote cheating).
I still think Netanyahu will win — we should know sometime this evening.
No! The Kadima are a “centrist/moderate” party. Likud is the Right-of-center responsible party.
sounds like it might be a good coalition though
"It is only when the people become ignorant and corrupt, when they degenerate into a populace, that they are incapable of exercising the sovereignty. Usurpation is then an easy attainment, and an usurper soon found. The people themselves become the willing instruments of their own debasement and ruin." -James Monroe
He is.
What is going on in the world?
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