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Report: Newcomer Kahlon rejects Lapid joint electoral ticket
Media reports suggest that former Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon, who will lead a new party in March’s general election, has turned down an offer by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to form a joint electoral list.
Kahlon surprised the political world two years ago, when he announced that he would be taking a break from politics. He had been popular within the Likud Party and also attracted wider appeal as a champion of socio-economic reform. During his time in office, Kahlon was widely credited with overseeing a sharp reduction in mobile communications costs to the public by introducing greater industry competition. He announced last week that his new party will be called Kulanu (“All of us”); Kahlon is viewed as a largely centrist candidate with potential support from his former Likud base and additional voters eager for socio-economic reform.
Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party capitalized on public enthusiasm for a socio-economic agenda at the January 2013 election, apparently proposed a unified list with Kulanu. However, Haaretz says that although polling suggested a centrist Yesh Atid-Kulanu bloc would benefit both parties, Kahlon has rejected the idea. The article suggests that on his own, Kahlon is virtually assured of a ministerial role regardless of who forms the next government.
In other election news, former Shas leader Eli Yishai yesterday held a press conference to launch his new party after he and Shas head Aryeh Deri were unable to repair the rift between them. Yishai said, “This isn’t an easy day for me. I’m leaving a party, but not its path.” However, the event was disrupted by apparent Shas supporters who denounced Yishai as a traitor. Deri this morning distanced himself and Shas from the protestors.
Also yesterday, the Likud internal court disqualified a Central Committee decision earlier this week to approve a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move forward a party leadership vote and combine it with primaries for the Likud Knesset candidacies. It is unclear when the votes will be held.