Ex-IDF chief of workers Benny Gantz could also be the hottest candidate on the Israeli center-left — and he hasn’t even introduced an intention to run.
A poll printed in the each day Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday discovered that Gantz would draw some 24 Knesset seats if he ran at the head of the Zionist Union faction, second solely to the ruling Likud party at 30.
If he based a new party, it might crush the Zionist Union, the poll discovered. Gantz’s party would take 14 seats, in third place after Likud’s 29 and Yesh Atid’s 15, whereas an Avi Gabbay-led Zionist Union would are available fourth with 10.
The findings recommend assist for Gantz crosses party traces, as the chance of a new Gantz-led party seems to siphon about 4 seats from Likud, 5 from Zionist Union and three from Yesh Atid.
The poll finds Likud in the lead in any state of affairs, at 29 to 33 seats, however offers the opposition Zionist Union a much better likelihood of critically difficult the right-wing mainstay with Gantz at its helm.
If Gantz chooses to not to enter politics, the poll offers Likud 33 seats, Yesh Atid 18, Zionist Union 15, the Joint (Arab) List 12, Jewish Home 7, United Torah Judaism 7, Kulanu 6, Meretz 6, Yisrael Beytenu 6, Shas 5 and a party led by former Yisrael Beytenu lawmaker Orly Levi-Abekasis the final 5.
The newest findings additionally affirm related polls over the final month that put a Zionist Union headed by Gantz at some 25 seats, in opposition to a barely weaker Likud at round the 29-30 seat mark.
The poll was carried out by Prof. Mina Tzemach for Yedioth. It comes simply as Gantz’s necessary “cooling-off period” — the time required by regulation between when senior IDF officers retire and once they can launch political careers — involves an finish. Gantz left the navy in 2015.
It additionally comes a month after studies first surfaced in the Hebrew-language press about Gantz exploring the possibility of becoming a member of the Zionist Union as its candidate for prime minister.