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Israel Election: Here’s what’s at stake.


As Israelis vote on Tuesday in the fifth parliamentary election in less than four years, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to return to power, but polls are predicting another stalemate. .

Voters are once again having to choose between a right-wing bloc led by Mr Netanyahu and a ruling coalition of right-wing, left-wing and centre-right parties, led by Prime Minister Yair Lapid, whose share small beyond their opposition to Mr. Netanyahu.

Mr. Netanyahu is currently on trial on corruption charges, and his suitability for office remains a central question in Israeli politics. In the fifth consecutive election, Israelis were split almost equally between his critics, who felt that he should be dismissed until the end of the trial, and his supporters, who considered the trial. His is a politically motivated spoof.

In addition to Mr. Netanyahu, the election is also a referendum on the type of society Israelis want. His opponents see the vote as a test of Israel’s liberal democracy. His allies saw it as an opportunity to emphasize the country’s Jewish character.

“If you don’t go to the polls, we will again support Lapid, Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi,” Netanyahu said on Tuesday, referring to two Arab lawmakers who may need Lapid’s support to continue. continue to hold power.

Mr Lapid urged voters to “vote wisely.” “Let’s vote for the state of Israel, the future of our children and our future in general,” he said as he cast his ballot at a school in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu’s coalition partners include ultra-Orthodox lawmakers who oppose teaching math and English to their children, and far-right settlers often opposed to the Arab minority Arab Republic of Israel and seek to eliminate checks and balances in the parliamentary process.

A Mr. Netanyahu victory would reassure some Jewish right-wing Israelis, who say an Arab party’s unprecedented involvement in the outgoing government threatens the country’s Jewish identity and making the government less likely to act against the militants.

Mr. Netanyahu’s opponents fear that he and his allies could lose their democracy – especially after his allies announced plans for a sweeping judicial overhaul aimed at easing checks and balances. equal to legislators. They also worry that a government led by Netanyahu will make it harder for the country’s Jewish and Arab communities to get along.

Both blocs are not expected to hold a majority in Israel’s 120-seat Parliament. That could force another early election in early 2023 – which will be the sixth national vote since April 2019 – and keep Mr Lapid in charge of the people’s leadership. take care of.

By 8 p.m., turnout was at 66.3%, according to Israel’s election commission. This is higher than the equivalent period of any election since 1999, showing that voters remain motivated despite repeated elections.

Parties must secure more than 3.25 percent of the vote to enter Parliament. The poll shows many Arab voters will shun the polls, shunned by mainstream parties and frustrated by divisions among Arab politicians. That could mean Raam, a small Arab party, could struggle to cross the required threshold, making it harder for Mr Lapid’s bloc to win a majority.

No government is expected to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Mr. Lapid supports a two-state solution to the conflict, but some of his allies do not – and Mr. Netanyahu says his victory will prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.

Exit polls will show results as soon as the polling ends at 10 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET). But with the race so close, more certain results may not be announced until Wednesday morning and the final vote count could take until Friday.

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