Poll: Likud, Yesh Atid tied

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid would both win 25 seats if elections were held now, according to a Panels Research poll taken this week following media coverage of unpopular legislation promoted by Likud.

The poll predicted 17 seats for Avi Gabbay’s Zionist Union; 12 seats for Naftali Bennett’s Bayit Yehudi; 11 for Ayman Odeh’s Joint List; eight for Ya’acov Litzman’s United Torah Judaism; seven for Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu; six for Zehava Gal-On’s Meretz; five for Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu; and four for Arye Deri’s Shas.

Interestingly, the poll found that the Likud would do better under the helm of former minister Gideon Sa’ar, winning 30 seats and leaving Yesh Atid with 23 and the Zionist Union with 15. Under Transportation Minister Israel Katz, Yesh Atid would beat Likud, winning 27 seats, compared to 18 for Likud and 17 for the Zionist Union.

When asked who is most fit to be prime minister, 26% said Netanyahu; 18% Lapid; 9% Gabbay; 6% Bennett; 5% Kahlon; 4% Liberman; 21% none of the above; and 11% said they did not know.

Lapid succeeded in closing the gap from a November 9 Panels poll in which 36% said Netanyahu; 14% Gabbay; 11% Lapid; 5% each Bennett and Kahlon; 3% Liberman; 20% none of the above; and 8% did not know.

When asked who should lead the camp that faces Netanyahu’s Likud in the next election, 38% said they did not know; 34% Lapid; and 27% Gabbay. Among center-left voters, 44% said Gabbay and 28% each said Gabbay and that they did not know.

Half of the respondents said they were unsatisfied with Netanyahu’s handling of the coalition crisis over Israel Railways work on Shabbat. Thirty-three percent said they were satisfied and 17% did not know.

Asked if the bill that would prevent the police from making recommendations to the State Prosecutor’s Office was a fitting bill, 47% said no; 24% yes; and 29% did not know. Fifty-five percent said the bill was intended to help Netanyahu; 21% said it was a matter of principle; and 24% said they did not know.

The poll surveyed 553 people representing a statistical sample of the adult Israeli population. The poll, which was taken Wednesday, has a margin of error of +/-4.3%.

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