It's just a jump to the Left and over 60 mandates to the Right

[eumelia]

*rubs hands*
So, what do we have here on this fair morning, after yesterday's stormy and election day!

Here's the breakdown according to the latest exist polls according to Politico.co.il with yours truly interesting notes:
Kadima - 28 mandates (23% of the vote) - Meaning Livni, at this point is to be PM. On the one hand, hooray...? Woman PM. On the other hand... woman PM with a Right wing agenda who has a history of voting against woman and minority right bills. And is likely to only turn Left-ish because Bibi will be taking all the Right wing seats under his Wing.

Likud - 27 mandated (21%) - Meaning Netanyahu is not going to let Livni get a clear victory. That fucking ass.

Yisrael Beitenu - 15 mandates (12%) - Oh my holy fuck, we're doomed, whoever ends up being PM is going to have to give Lieberman, that maniac, an actual position!

Avodah - 13 mandates (10%) - this, the party of Ben-Gurion, Golda and Rabin... how the mighty have fallen. Well, seeing as those who were mighty in it no longer had any say, I can't say I'm too surprised.

Shas - 11 mandates (9%) - the reason we went into *cough*early*cough* elections. They wedged Livni's attempt at creating a coalition and I doubt they'll be making things easy this time around as well. But at least they lost a seat this! I'm claiming a small victory over that.

Yahadut Ha'Torah - 5 mandates (4%) - another Right Wing religion party... I'm feeling the representation here.

National Union - 4 mandates (3%) - a party of former Likud and National Religious members. The other parties just didn't seem to cut it... oy.

National Religious - 3 mandates (3%) - these are the ones who ostensibly represent the Settlers interests. Though seeing as the Right bloc is fucking huge... they have a much smaller count than before.

United Arab List - Ta'al - 4 mandates (3%) - same as in the 17th Knesset. Not much to say about them. Like most of the Arab MK's they made a lot of noise, but were mostly ignored.

The Party I voted for: Hadash - 4 mandates (3%) - Yeah Baby! Extra seat in the Knesset! I'm very glad that their word got out and actually got them in! This is the only joint Jewish-Arab Party, it doesn't do tokenism and actually passed laws that were of benefit to everyone, while trying to fight discrimination and (unofficial) segregation.

Meretz - 3 mandates (3%) - what a blow. Their inconsistent message really put a stick in their wheels. Not to mention that with only three mandates, the best feminist and woman MK won't be getting back in because some upshot from the New Movement (which I mentioned not too long ago) got her seat, which is third on the list.

Balad - 3 mandates (3%) - again, no change. This Arab nationalist party is also a big noise maker and is also ignored. Israeli Arabs really have very little say in Israeli politics.

That's all folks. There are still the Soldiers, Diplomats and other Double Sealed (ballots put into double envelopes because the voters couldn't get to their registered ballot box - not the same as absentee) votes that need to counted.
Hopefully the Left gets a little more leverage. But I doubt it.
I hope this was an interesting to you as it was to me.
Probably not.

Any questions pertaining to this little Middle Eastern Banana Republic Theocracy Ethnocracy Mockery okay, okay!
Middle Eastern Democracy.

Comments

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

Yay for your vote, at least! It's disturbing to see Netanyahu so strongly on the rise again, though.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm seeing future arrests in my future... though I'm hoping that like before, I can avoid them.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

"Meaning Livni, at this point is to be PM. On the one hand, hooray...? Woman PM."

*cough* Thatcher *cough*

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Oi!
Let me quote myself: On the other hand... woman PM with a Right wing agenda who has a history of voting against woman and minority right bills.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Yeah. She does sound like you've got your very own Thatcher now. Hooray!

Though in fairness Thatcher really just hated the poor equally, irrespective of their gender.

... okay. She probably hated everybody.

[mao4269.livejournal.com]

If going along those lines you can also cite Golda's not-so-dovish record...

[corvus.livejournal.com]

At the big pro-Israel rally here a month or so ago someone definitely had the, "We hate you for making us kill your children" slogan on a sign. Oof.

[smhwpf.livejournal.com]

Hi, sorry, added you a while back through free_palestine as you post interesting stuff, but hadn't got round to commenting!

Bad side of this (not that there's that much of a good side anywhere, though yay for one extra seat for Hadash) is that the firmly Right-wing parties now have a clear majority of 65 between them (Likud, Yisrael Beitenu, Shas, UTJ, National Union, National Religious). So a clear majority against being willing even in theory to give the Palestinians even an inadequate state sometime maybe.

On the other hand, I'm guessing that Netanyahu might be reluctant to go for a coalition with so many parties and such a rather narrow majority which would then be vulnerable to fall-outs between (say) Lieberman and Shas, either of whom could bring it down - and thus might prefer to go for some sort of grand coalition with Kadima and which ever other parties to the right and 'left' can be brought along? Which then might be inclined to be more pragmatic about playing along with the latest round of 'peace process' that Obama seems keen on.

Which would mean pretty much more of the same, which is hardly a happy scenario either. :/

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

There is currently a leadership stalemate. While I'm inclined to believe that neither Livni or Netanyahu would/will bring about peace between Israel and Palestine and actually figure out a solution to the Palestinian homeland... Livni may actually not bring about the economic turmoil that Netanyahu put those in the weaker socio-economic strata.

It is more of the same. I don't think anyone here (or elsewhere thought otherwise). It's more of a toss up between the Devil you know and don't want and an unknown Evil who may or may not be worse.

*sigh*

N.B. Added you back.

[tempestbreaker.livejournal.com]

Mandates? Where's a good place to find an explanation of the Israeli form of democracy? Clearly some sorta parlimentary coalition style building jenga game. Otherwise I will be forced to develop a drinking game to fill the gaps in understanding. :P

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

*snort* The poll reports on the News were great in that regard!
They had touch screens with 120 seats in which they switched around the various coalitions that might be established.
"Let's try with Lieberman!"
"Let's try without!"
So redundant.

[tempestbreaker.livejournal.com]

::groan:: I hate the 21st Century. The entertainment part of information distribution has eclipsed all other purposes.

::still grumbling that I can't get Operation Turkish Delight off the ground::

[corvus.livejournal.com]

Hey Philadelphia person, if you are interested in such things as the Israel/Palestine, there is no end of activities going on in the area! Also, Jewish discordian goth lawyers? I'll have to tell my friend the (soon-to-be) Indian punk lawyer about this!

[mao4269.livejournal.com]

There may well be better sources, but this (http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_beh.htm) seems like a pretty decent overview of the system. Though your drinking game options sounds way more fun!

[corvus.livejournal.com]

I just noticed your subject line. I laughed. :)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

In general, I think if there were more Trans* people in government, thing would be better ;-)