Support For Likud Shrinks Amid Judicial Overhaul Crisis

Two new opinion polls published on Monday showed that Israel's ruling coalition would not be able to form a government if an election was held today, due to a blow to the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party on the back of widespread protests against its judicial reforms.

• Two surveys published by Channel 12 and Kan showed that Likud would reduce its presence in the Knesset to 25 lawmakers from the current 32. By contrast, Benny Gantz's opposition National Unity party would clinch 23 (Channel 12) or 21 seats (Kan) versus the 12 it holds now.
• The ruling coalition of Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism and Religious Zionism-Otzma Yehudit would secure just 53 or 54 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. Meanwhile, a bloc of opposition parties could be able to secure a razor-thin majority.