Lapid’s discrete campaign for premiership gains momentum
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid has not declared himself a candidate for prime minister, but he is clearly positioning himself as the real threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It seems bizarre, but the most powerful political leader in the center-left camp, Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid, has still not announced that he is running against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the position of prime minister.
As head of the opposition, Lapid has been growing stronger over the last few weeks. Polls show him winning as many as 20 seats, and his standing is improving in rankings of which politician is best suited to serve as prime minister. Nevertheless, he will not admit that he is running for prime minister.
Two other party leaders are often mentioned as candidates to replace Netanyahu: New Hope chair Gideon Saar and Naftali Bennett, the head of pro-settler Yamina. Lapid is far ahead of them both. Saar has already collapsed in the polls, with his party expected to win seats in the high single digits. Bennett is doing slightly better with an expected 11-13 seats. As they both insist that they are running for prime minister, Lapid's name appears nowhere near that lofty title.
In an interview yesterday with the English-language Jerusalem Post newspaper, Lapid coyly said that Yesh Atid is ready to take over the prime minister’s office.
