Shas MK warns: Every wasted vote hands power to the left

Shas MK and former minister Michael Malkieli on Sunday morning warned that the left-wing camp could gain strength as a result of votes lost by the right-wing bloc. In an interview with Kol Chai Radio , Malkieli said, "When [Democrats chief MK] Yair Golan talks about dismantling haredi society and removing religion from the public sphere, he is counting precisely on that bitter haredi voter who decides to stay home or vote for a fringe party that will not cross [the electoral threshold]." "Every wasted vote weakens the faith-based camp and actively hands power to Golan, [Together leader MK Yair] Lapid, [Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor] Liberman, and [Together chief Naftali] Bennett. This is not merely a political statement, but a direct struggle over the very identity of the Jewish state and the honor of Heaven." Addressing issues of governance and the judicial system, Malkieli noted, "Unlike us, when the left comes to power, it has no legal advisers bothering it and no petitions to the Supreme Court blocking it. We saw what happened when there was a Religious Affairs Minister who sought to dismantle the kashrut system and the Chief Rabbinate. Those measures went through quickly." Malkieli also warned about the consequences of the next government's term, during which several key appointments are expected. He explained, "During the next term, extremely consequential appointments will be made: Supreme Court justices, the Attorney General, the State Attorney, and the State Comptroller. If we abandon the arena, the haredi public will suffer from appointments that will shape the country in a disconnected spirit for the next 30 years."