- The Labor Party should get rid of Amir Peretz and put Avishai Braverman at its helm. If that happens, I'll definitely vote for them again next time, except I'll pick them for their leader, nor despite of him.
- The Likud should get rid of Netanyahu. I think Silvan Shalom would be the best person to replace him. As a moderate, he can rebuild the party as a center-right, rather than radical-right, party. Still, no chance of them getting my vote next time.
- Meretz should get rid of Yossi Beilin. He's been a disaster and nobody likes him. Knesset Members Zehava Galon and Ran Cohen have announced they'll run against him. I don't like Galon, and I doubt she'd attract voters. Cohen is the better choice here.
- Kadima didn't lose, which means Olmert won't be replaced. Too bad. I'd rather see Tzipi Livni at the helm.
Tags: Israel, Israeli Politics, Politics, Israeli Elections, Labor Party, Kadima, Likud, Meretz
Do you think parties are going to increasingly try to appeal to the middle ground/moderates? The media here has often talked about hardening of the right-wing element in Israeli poltics - do you think this has happened?
ReplyDeleteGreat blog - really useful for me!
The right wing bloc lost quite a few seats in these elections, and the moderates made significant gains.
ReplyDeleteWhen the second Intifadah started, Israelis went rightward and picked Ariel Sharon and the Likud. As the Intifadah progressed we moved more to the center, though still more right wing than we were in the 90's. Israelis have lost faith in peace and don't trust the Palestinians, but they've also finally lost faith in the Whole Israel "from the Jordan to the Sea" concept. They just want separation.
Pundits here call it the simultaneous crash of both the hawkish right and the dovish left. That's where centrist parties like Kadima come in, promising to get out of most of the West Bank without promising peace.