If Knesset elections were held now, the outcome almost certainly would be a new version the present stalemated national unity coalition, according to the latest opinion poll published in Maariv Tuesday. The poll, conducted last month among 1,236 adult Jewish voters by the Modiin Ezrachi organization, found that neither Labor nor Likud would be able to form a governing coalition with their respective leftwing or rightwing allies. Labor, however, would emerge stronger than Likud with 48 Knesset seats compared to the 40 it won in the last elections in 1984. Likud was down from 41 seats to 35 in new elections.
But neither party would be able to put together a governing majority in the 120-member Knesset because the rightwing opposition parties have gained ground since 1984, possibly at Likud’s expense, and the leftist parties which might align with Labor have lost support.
The ultra-nationalist Tehiya Party would increase its Knesset strength from five to seven seats in new elections. Rabbi Meir Kahane’s extremist Kach Party would go from one to four seats. The poll showed the leftist Shinui down from three to two seats and Mapam reduced from six to two.
Among the Orthodox factions, only the National Religious Party gained support. It would win six seats compared to its present four. The Aguda Israel and Shas Parties would retain their present strength of two and four seats, respectively. The leftist Citizens Rights Movement (CRM) and the Communist Party would hold steady at four and six seats, respectively.
New elections would wipe out the Orthodox Morasha Party which has two seats in the Knesset and the Tami and Ometz parties which have one each, the poll found.
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