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Meretz eyeing coalition
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Meretz to enter coalition talks with Kadima

Leftist party expected to demand freeze on settlement construction, more peace talks

The Meretz faction has decided Thursday to recommend that the party's leadership enter coalition talks with Kadima in a bid to join the next government, to be headed by Tzipi Livni.

 

The leftist party is expected present Kadima with several demands, including the continuation of diplomatic talks, a freeze on settlement construction, and the implementation of the "evacuation compensation" law aimed at compensating settlers who leave their West Bank homes. In addition, Meretz will demand that Daniel Friedmann be removed from the post of justice minister.

 

Meretz also demands that the 2009 State budget be boosted by 3% compared to the 2008 budget, in contradiction to the current proposal, which stands at 1.7%. The leftist party is also interested in creating a social safety net for workers' pension plans.

 

In the wake of the faction decision, party leaders convened a meeting to discuss the recommendations. The party is expected to approve them following the discussion.

 

Earlier, Shas representatives met with Attorney Yoram Raved, Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni’s representative, to discuss the possibility of bringing the religious party into the next government.

 

At the meeting, Shas representatives raised the need to boost child allowances and stressed that they would not be joining the government otherwise.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.25.08, 18:24
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