Poll: 42% of Likud voters considering or have decided to back different party in fall

Forty-two percent of Israelis who voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in the previous election are either considering or have decided to vote for a different party in the fall Knesset elections, a Channel 12 poll finds.

Fifty-eight percent of Israelis who voted for Likud in the previous election said they will do the same at the ballot box, according to the poll.

The poll finds that 10% of previous Likud voters will vote for former prime minister Naftali Bennett’s center-right Together party; 6% will vote for former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party; 4% will vote for Avigdor Liberman’s secular right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party; 3% will vote for far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party; 2% will vote for Yoaz Hendel’s right-wing Reservists party; 1% will vote for Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party; and 1% will vote for Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party.

Eight percent of former Likud voters remain unsure and 6% plan not to vote.

Among Likud voters who are either considering or have decided not to vote for Netanyahu’s party once again, 37% said it’s because of the failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7 attack; 23% said it’s because of the legislation that the government is trying to pass granting blanket exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students; 14% said because of Netanyahu’s personal conduct; 13% said it’s because of divisions in Israeli society; and 13% said they’re unsure.

Asked whether Netanyahu should run in the next election, 64% of formerly Likud voters said yes, while 30% said he should retire.

Asked who should head the Likud party after Netanyahu steps down, 10% said former Mossad chief Yossi Yohen, 9% said Economy Minister Nir Barkat, 8% said Defense Minister Israel Katz, 7% said Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, 6% said former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer, 5% said Justice Minister Amir Ohana, 3% said Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter and 2% said Transportation Minister Miri Regev; 45% said none of the above.

Asked whether Netanyahu’s far-right, firebrand son Yair should be on Likud’s list for elections, 67% of Likud voters said no and 17% said yes.

Asked if they’re satisfied with the conduct of Likud’s current slate of lawmakers, 55% said they were not, compared to 38% who said they are.

Asked which party leader best represents Likud’s values, 39% said Netanyahu, 37% said former prime minister Menachem Begin, 10% said they were unsure, 9% said former prime minister Yitzhak Shamir and 5% said former prime minister Ariel Sharon.