If former Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is slotted into one of the top spots on the Likud list in the upcoming party primaries, it would give the party a boost of four seats in the April 9 Knesset election, an internal Likud poll shows.
The poll was conducted for Barkat's staff by the Dialogue Institute, prior to Israel Resilience Party founder Benny Gantz's debut speech last week, which gave Gantz's party a tailwind in all the polls that followed.
According to the poll numbers, Likud would win 24 seats. Israel Resilience and Yesh Atid would each win 11 seats, with 10 seats projected for the New Right. The poll showed Labor hovering near the minimum electoral threshold, with only four seats.
However, the poll indicated that if Barkat were to be allotted a top spot on the Likud list, the Likud would win 28 seats.
Respondents were also asked whether a high spot on the list for Barkat would increase, decrease, or not affect the chances of their voting for Likud; 19% responded that it would make them more likely to cast a ballot for Likud. Six percent said it would make them less likely to vote Likud, and 75% responded that it would not affect their vote.
Barkat responded to the poll results: "Now, as the Left is uniting and posing a threat, we must put together a strong team that will strengthen Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and thwart attempts by Benny Gantz and the Left to topple the right-wing government."
