Former Knesset Member Orna Barbiei Announces Candidacy for Tel Aviv Municipal Elections
TEL AVIV – The upcoming municipal elections in Tel Aviv are heating up as former Knesset member, Orna Barbiei, announced her candidacy on Thursday. In a surprising move, former deputy mayor Tzipi Brand will join Barbiei as the second candidate on her list, as they aim to challenge the veteran mayor, Ron Huldai. To formally introduce their joint list, a press conference will be held this evening for “Yesh Atid: The Tel Avivs,” where the candidates will present their outline for the transformation in Tel Aviv – Jaffa.
Reacting to the union, Barbiei speculated, “Huldai is probably under pressure, otherwise he wouldn’t have done it.” The announcement has stirred up excitement among the liberal-minded citizens of Tel Aviv, who are eager to hear the candidates’ positions on key issues such as the cost of living.
A recent survey conducted by “Lazar Researches” in collaboration with panel14all revealed that if the elections were held today, there would likely be a second round between Huldai, who received 29% of the respondents’ support, and Barbiei, who received 20%. However, to secure a victory in the first round, a candidate must receive at least 40% of the votes.
With just over a month and a half remaining before the elections on October 31, it is notable that 39% of respondents have yet to decide on a candidate. This relatively high rate of undecided voters suggests that as the election date approaches, there may be significant shifts in support. Many voters are expected to make their decision towards the end of October, further intensifying the race for the mayor of Tel Aviv.
As indicated by the survey results, among all respondents, Huldai garnered the most support with 29%, followed by Barbiei at 20%, Tzipi Brand at 7%, Yuval Zellner at 3%, and Reuven Lediansky at 1%. Meanwhile, 39% of respondents were undecided, and 1% chose not to answer the question.
Considering those with an opinion, Huldai maintained a lead with 48%, followed by Barbiei with 34%, Brand with 12%, Zellner with 5%, and Lediansky with 1%.
As the election campaign intensifies, Tel Aviv residents eagerly await each candidate’s specific policies and plans to address the pressing issues faced by the city. With a diverse field of candidates, the race for the mayor of Tel Aviv promises to be a closely contested and highly anticipated event.