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Gantz Quits Oct. 27 Election, Avoiding Vote Wastage

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 11:27 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Benny Gantz announced that his Blue and White party will not run in the October 27 Knesset election.
A poll indicated up to 24.2% of Blue and White voters could shift to Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party.
Gantz said withdrawing was the only solution to prevent a disaster and avoid wasted votes.
Ofer Winter thanked Gantz and pledged his People of Israel party will stay as the sole right-wing option.

History

Historical Context

The 1977 Israeli ‘Mahapach,’ when Menachem Begin’s Likud won 44 Knesset seats, shattered Labor’s 30-year dominance and reshaped party politics. Begin’s victory secured 31% of the national vote, prompting new right-wing factions like Tehiya and later the National Union to emerge. Today’s withdrawal of Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party mirrors that historic realignment, as voters drift toward Ofer Winter’s People of Israel, consolidating the right. The precedent suggests the emerging dominant right-wing bloc could reshape coalition negotiations, potentially marginalizing centrist voices in the upcoming October 27 election.

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Story summary

Benny Gantz announced that his Blue and White party will not run in the October 27 Knesset election.
A poll indicated up to 24.2% of Blue and White voters could shift to Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party.
Gantz said withdrawing was the only solution to prevent a disaster and avoid wasted votes.
Ofer Winter thanked Gantz and pledged his People of Israel party will stay as the sole right-wing option.

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