Posted on 01/30/2003 10:54:34 AM PST by anotherview
Soldiers' vote gives another MK to Likud, NRP; One Nation, Hadash lose seat
By Haaretz Service
Ariel Sharon's Likud and the National Religious Party will each gain an additional seat in the entering Knesset, according to Likud and Shas representatives on the Central Elections Commiittee citing unofficial results of the counting of ballots cast by Israel Defense Forces soldiers and reservists.
While the right-wing gained as a result of the soldier's vote in the election for the 16th Knesset, Amir Peretz's One Nation and the Hadash Party each lost a seat.
Counting of the soldiers' votes was completed Thursday evening, and also included ballots cast by prisoners, hospital patients, and diplomats abroad.
The results will not be official until they are announced later Thursday night by the CEC, and barring any major surprises, the new Knesset will have 38 MKs from the Likud Party, six from NRP, three from One Nation and three from Hadash.
This increases the religious, right-wing bloc of the incoming Knesset to 69 seats: Likud (38), Shas (11), National Union (7), National Religious Party (6), United Torah Judaism (5) and Yisrael b'Aliyah (2).
The left-wing bloc weakens by one seat to 33: Labor (19), Meretz (6), Hadash (3), Balad (3) and Ra'am (2).
The center bloc also weakened by one seat: Shinui (15) and One Nation (3).
Interesting to see that the Russians are integrating, and don't feel the need to vote for their own party.
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