Giving up? The largest party that refuses to talk about the cost of living

The article examines the absence of emphasis on the cost of living in the current Likud campaign, analyzing the party's economic record while in power. It reveals an internal tension between free-market principles and interventionist subsidy policies. On one hand, ministers like Nir Barkat promote liberal reforms such as 'What's Good for Europe is Good for Israel' and 'The Cheap Basket'. On the other hand, MKs like Sasson Gueta protect farmers and prevent the opening of sectors to competition, such as the dairy industry. The article presents examples of successes, like the 'Open Skies' reform which reduced flight prices by about 18%, and the cellular reform of Moshe Kahlon which lowered the average monthly expense from 145 shekels to 93 shekels. In housing, promises of benefits for reserve soldiers are presented, but without a clear answer on prices for the general public. The article concludes that the internal tension in Likud between opening markets and protecting strong groups is the key to understanding its economic policy.