Most Meretz voters want their party to join the coalition, according to a Maagar Mochot (“Brain Base”) survey published on Thursday.  Almost 60 percent said they wanted the party to join the coalition. 

MK Chaim Oron was elected as the newest party head earlier in the week with over 54 percent of the vote.  During the campaign, Oron said he would join the coalition if circumstances were right.  However, he said Thursday that while he is willing to discuss the issue, he does not believe Meretz will join the coalition.

Seventy percent of those surveyed said they did not believe Oron would be able to change the party’s standing.  Meretz won only five seats in the last national elections, continuing a years-long trend of decreasing influence in the government.