I would call Kadima a joke, but I don’t see much funny in a party that goes from (1) being the most popular at the 2009 election, to (2) the opposition, to (3) replacing its leader with one who (4) joins the government yet (5) gets no actual members in the government, and then (6) quits the government when it finds, lo and behold, that it has no political power. What a joke. Oh, wait, it’s actually not funny.
I would imagine this means the political-reform discussions will end within government for now. As for the Tal Law–which exempts most Haredi Jews from the military draft and which is invalid, per a Supreme Court ruling, as of 1 August–presumably it will be replaced by some modest adjustments bargained between Likud and its other partners, including the Haredi parties.
@MSS – this sadly does not seem surprising when a party was pretty much identified with a strong founder figure, who unexpectedly died prematurely.
Has there been analysis of how similar parties fare after the demise of their founders? Would make for curious reading. Thanks!
Seed planted by Michel S. — 20 July 2012 @ 07:30
Michel S.: not quite died, but indeed the effect has been the same.
Seed planted by JD — 20 July 2012 @ 15:00
In addition to its having been a vehicle for the ambitions of its effectively departed founding leader, Kadima was also, at its founding, strongly associated with one policy–unilateral disengagement from the territories–which is widely viewed by much of the public as having been disastrous.
Since then, it has been the party of a now-convict (former PM Olmert), a former intelligence official who briefly tried to position the party as the leader of the peace camp (Livni), and then Mofaz (who immediately sold the party’s independence to Likud to avoid an election).
Not much of a party. But I repeat myself…
Seed planted by MSS — 22 July 2012 @ 15:54