Likud Gaining Support, But Netanyahu Still Struggling To Gain Majority

Latest PanelPolitics opinion poll provides some succor for PM Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the 23 March general election, with his right-wing Likud Party making some gains in public support.

• Panels Politics seat poll: Likued (Conservative): 32 (+5), New Hope (Conservative): 17 (=), Yesh Atid (Liberal): 14 (+1), Yamina (Right): 12 (-2), Joint List (Left/Islamist): 11 (+1), Shas (Haredi/Right): 8 (=), United Torah Judaism (Haredi/Right): 8 (+1), Yisrael Beiteinu (Secular Right) 7 (+1), Meeretz (Green): 6 (+1). +/- vs. 07/01/21. Fieldwork: 14/01/21
• Based on these polls, Netanyahu's Likud would still struggle to find enough coalition partners to form a majority gov't (61 seats required). While there are a number of other large right wing parties, they are led by politicians opposed to Netanyahu remaining PM.
• A hope for Netanyahu is that Israel's world-best vaccination programme, which has seen 25% of the population having received at least one vaccine dose against COVID-19 as of 14 Jan. Should this pace continue, almost all of the country will be vaccinated by the time of the election, potentially providing the incumbent gov't with a boost in support as life returns to normal.