The 'Third Bloc' Takes Shape: Erdan Draws a Red Line
With 88 days to the election, the battle to establish a new right-wing party in the third bloc is heating up. Gilad Erdan sets a red line for his potential partners: opposition to any coalition with the Democrats. Meanwhile, Tropper and Hendel will launch the 'House of Zionists' campaign on Wednesday. Erdan is in talks with Edelstein, Bloch, and Nechama.
With 88 days to the election, the battle to establish a new right-wing party in the third bloc is heating up. Gilad Erdan sets a red line for his potential partners: opposition to any coalition with the Democrats – a stance that sharpens the gaps between the initiatives and complicates possible connections in the bloc. Meanwhile, Gilad Erdan is also advancing the establishment of a new political framework, mainly behind the scenes. Among the names he is in talks with are former minister Yuli Edelstein, former Beit Shemesh mayor Aliza Bloch, and businessman Hezi Nechama, who confirmed that he is holding advanced talks with Erdan. Additional contacts are also being held with other political bodies and figures. On Wednesday, Hili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel are expected to launch the campaign of the 'House of Zionists'. The two are trying to recruit additional figures from religious Zionism before the launch – the public where they identify their main growth potential. The move aims to establish a right-wing, statist party that can attract voters who do not find their place in existing parties. As the election campaign approaches, the attempt to establish a new alternative to the right of the existing opposition parties is moving from the stage of talks to the stage of decisions. Several political initiatives are operating simultaneously in the same crowded space, called the 'third bloc', but behind their similarity lie significant differences on the question of the day after the elections. The meaning is that behind the competition for the voters of the statist right, two different political models are actually developing. Tropper and Hendel seek to leave themselves a relatively wide space for action after the elections, while Erdan tries to differentiate himself through a clear veto on partnership with the left. This line may help Erdan attract right-wing voters who are wary of the government but are not willing to be part of a coalition with the Democrats. On the other hand, it may prevent him from fulfilling the role that the center parties designate for themselves: completing the majority needed to form an alternative government.