Top economist Trajtenberg expected to join Labor-Hatnua party list
Chairman of Planning and Budgeting Committee, who headed team for socio-economic change, enters politics, likely to get 8th or 16th spot on joint party's list.
Professor Manuel Trajtenberg, who headed a government-appointment committee tasked with proposing solutions to Israel's socioeconomic problems, established following the social tent protest of 2011, announced on Wednesday his entry into political life. He is expected to join Isaac Herzog (Labor) and Tzipi Livni's (Hatuna) joint list.
Meanwhile, Haim Yellin, chairman of the Eshkol Regional Council, an Israeli community on the Israel-Gaza border, will run with Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid political party in the elections for the 20th Knesset.
Prof. Trachtenberg, who serves as chairman of the Council of Higher Education’s Committee for Planning and Budgeting, informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his resignation from his present position.
The senior economist has been holding talks in recent days with Hatnua Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Labor leader Isaac Herzog about the possibility of his joining the two's joint list for the 2015 Knesset elections.
Labor sources said that the final details have not yet been closed, but noted that there is talk of adding him to the party's list and reserving a spot for him as part of the places reserved for Livni's Hatnua party members.
Trajtenberg is likely to get the eighth or 16th spot on the list, which is considered attainable in light of the favorable polls the party is enjoying. Joint talks between the two sides resulted in an agreement that Trajtenberg will not have to register as a Labor party member.
Since joining the committee tasked with lowering the cost of living, Prof. Trajtenberg has become one of the most courted figures within the socio-economic field. In the past, he received several offers to join politics and influence change in the socio-economic sector.
The fact that he headed a public committee appointed by Netanyahu to provide solutions for Israel's economic problems, created a direct channel of communication between himself and party leaders. Prof. Trajtenberg is expected to soon announce his decision regarding joining the Herzog-Livni list.
Expert in technological innovations
Trachtenberg, 64, chairs the Higher Education Council's Planning and Budgeting Committee. From 2006 to 2009 he served as head of the National Economic Council at the Prime Minister's Office – the body advising the prime minister on economic policies.
In April 2009, he resigned following Netanyahu's decision to appoint his personal advisor, Uri Yogev, for the new role of chairman of the National Economic Council's advisory committee. Shortly afterward, Trachtenberg was appointed chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee by Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
Trachtenberg, who has a PhD in economics from Harvard University, specializes in technological innovations and is considered a strong supporter of the free market and reducing bureaucratic barriers.
Nonetheless, he has spoken many times about the need to limit the market forces in order to prevent the creation of cartels undermining free competition.
In 2011, he was appointed head of a government-appointed team, comprised of various financial experts, tasked with resolving the growing social unrest.
Attila Somfalvi contributed to this report.
