Poll Claims Large Majority Want Secular Unity Coalition

A poll by the ultra-secular Hiddush organization claims that 74% of Israeli Jews prefer a unity government with the Likud and the Blue and White party, without the participation of religious or chareidi parties. The poll was conducted by the Smith organization of what the pollster said was a representative sample of the population.

The groups said that its analysis of the responses by votes for the Knesset in the last elections showed that among those who held opinions, 61% of Likud voters and 100% of Blue and White voters would support the formation of such a coalition. 93% of Yisrael Beiteinu voters and 96% of Kulanu voters would prefer this option as well. Only 26% of all voters wanted a coalition that would be dependent on religious and chareidi parties.

Speaking Wednesday, Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman said that “the only issue in the next election is the formation of the coalition. I want a rightwing government, a nationalistic liberal government with Yisrael Beytenu as a central player, which will act as a restraining and balancing force. This is the major difference we bring to the table. Those who oppose a Halachic state have one option – Yisrael Beytenu.”