Former Likud Minister Gilad Erdan has declared that he is "exploring the possibility of establishing a unified right-wing party."
"I am not a centrist; I am firmly on the right," Erdan said in an interview with Channel 12 News, explaining the rationale behind the move.
"There is a very large segment of the public - especially after October 7 - that is tired of the only two options being a right-wing government dependent on haredi parties, which prevents a true 'equal sharing of the burden' regarding the draft and core curriculum studies that would allow everyone to integrate into the labor market. On the left - especially after the Bennett-Lapid merger - we see a competition over who will lead the bloc and who can boycott the other side more. It is clear to most of the public that such a leftist government would be dependent on Arab votes," he added.
According to Erdan, "There is a political vacuum of people who want to see national reconciliation - who want to see us sitting together and tackling the real issues, such as the gridlocked transportation system and the lack of governance in the Galilee and the Negev. This constant infighting comes at the expense of so many things the public is waiting for - solutions and historic decisions that simply aren't happening. If established, it will be a unified right-wing party. A decision will be made in the coming weeks."
In recent weeks, reports have surfaced regarding an initiative to form a party based on Likud figures - including former Minister Moshe Kahlon, MK Yuli Edelstein, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel.