Poll shows Israel’s Netanyahu cruising toward re-election

AFP
Israel's government decided to hold early elections in April with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggling to keep together a one-seat majority in parliament as he also faces potential corruption charges in the months ahead.(AFP)
  • The survey polled 500 Israelis and had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points
  • Netanyahu has called early elections for April, setting the stage for a three-month campaign clouded by a series of corruption investigations against the long-serving Israeli leader

JERUSALEM: The first public opinion poll after the announcement of early elections in Israel predicts another solid victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Panels Politics poll published Tuesday in the Maariv daily shows Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party securing 30 seats in the 120-seat parliament and a majority for his right-wing, nationalist bloc. Coming in second at 13 was the still hypothetical party headed by former military chief Benny Gantz, who has yet to declare whether he is even running. The established left and center parties lagged far behind.
The survey polled 500 Israelis and had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Netanyahu has called early elections for April, setting the stage for a three-month campaign clouded by a series of corruption investigations against the long-serving Israeli leader.

Topics: Netanyahu Israel