The Government’s Waning Public Support
Ma’ariv, Israel, April 30
It was George Bernard Shaw who famously said, “The golden rule is that there are no golden rules.” This adage is especially relevant to politics, and Israeli politics in particular. After analyzing the survey I conducted for the opening of the summer session of the Knesset, I have concluded that the main issue causing the current government to lose public support is not their handling of any particular issue, but rather the lack of trust in the priorities they have established. In detail: Survey respondents overwhelmingly agree that the most pressing issue for the Knesset and government to tackle is the high cost of living (48%). Legal reform, on the other hand, is not viewed as a priority, with only 22% of respondents considering it the most important issue. Personal security (14%) and Iran (10%) were both markedly less prioritized. For Likud voters, the cost of living (32%) was the most important issue, followed by legal reform (23%), and personal security (20%). The ruling party has a major issue at hand: they must not allow the public agenda to revolve around an issue that only interests a fraction of their voters. They must set a diverse agenda that covers economic, social, and security matters. Unfortunately, the media’s preoccupation with legal reform is proving detrimental to the incumbent government’s support. The ruling party, Likud, is being pulled into an agenda dictated by the fringe of the coalition, which, in Israeli politics, usually leads to a decrease in public backing. If the public had seen the government engaging in more than just reform, their support would likely be much higher. Therefore, the government should capitalize on the summer session to refocus the public discourse from the legal quandary to effectively promoting the state budget and emphasizing the positive news it brings (and there must be some good news). Additionally, it should endeavor to settle the contentious conscription law with minimal collateral damage (an issue that warrants its own examination), and most importantly, develop a more varied agenda. If not, resentment over the government’s actions will only grow deeper and deeper—and it will quickly find itself losing even the little public support it had left. —Yosi Tatika (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
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