The crisis within the "Democrats" is deepening, as party chairman MK Yair Golan refuses to back down from his demand to amend the unity agreement he signed with Meretz, Channel 13 News reported.
The "Democrats" is a Labor-Meretz joint list, created to ensure both parties made it into the Knesset.
The current agreement guarantees Meretz reserved spots in realistic positions on the joint electoral list for the Knesset. According to sources involved in the negotiations, Golan is insisting on changing key clauses in the agreement and is even raising the possibility of its complete cancellation if his demands are not met.
The move has sparked significant internal tensions within the party and casts doubt on the continued cooperation between the two sides.
Discussions over modifying the agreement began as early as last August. Since then, numerous meetings have been held between representatives of both parties, but no understanding has been reached, and the parties' positions remain at odds. Meretz maintains that the agreement is binding and should not be reopened.
A spokesperson for Golan claimed that "there has been progress with all relevant parties," and added that “the matter is expected to be resolved soon." In contrast, a Meretz official said, "We don’t know what this is about; there is an agreement which has been signed for over a year."