Avigdor Lieberman wants to be finance minister

In the Yisrael Beiteinu faction meeting in the 24th Knesset, party leader Avigdor Lieberman outlined his three main conditions for supporting the new government: changing the current prime minister. No Haredim in the coalition. Minister of Finance. Lieberman wants to be finance minister in order to rehabilitate the economy on behalf of the national unity government, if it is possible to form it. Regarding the talks over the past few days with the new leader of hope Gideon Saar and the right-wing leader Naftali Bennett, there was no opposition to the idea of ​​Lieberman assuming the position of Treasury. La Ayelet Shaked, Yammina’s second-in-command or Labor leader Merav Michaeli, who recently spoke of their tenure as finance minister, would not seem to object. Globus realizes that Lieberman wants a two-year budget for 2021-2022 in order to stabilize the government’s management of the economy. This is another requirement that potential partners have no problem with. Lieberman advocates a free market economy alongside the welfare state, or as he has said in the past, “We support a pitiful free economy.” Although he is a hawk in the field of defense and security, economically, Lieberman can sit comfortably in coalition with Meretz and Labor, who demand government assistance for the disadvantaged sectors of Israeli society. Among Lieberman’s policies, as he promised in his election campaign, was to raise pensions to 70% of the minimum wage. This bill was introduced by Yisrael Beiteinu at the meeting of the 24th Knesset. In addition, he wants to cut the child allowance from the fifth child onwards – a move that would fundamentally affect the Haredi and Bedouin community. If Lieberman does indeed become finance minister and the ultra-Orthodox parties give up the opposition, he will have a real chance to implement this policy. Lieberman supporters claim he is the perfect man for the job. He held a wide range of important positions in the past, and like former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, he comes from “below” as an immigrant, residing in social and geographic fringes with the social sensitivities required for the position. Lieberman has extensive ties to the business sector and in particular with the Austrian Jewish billionaire Martin Schlaf. Lieberman was under investigation for corruption cases in the past, but cases against him were closed. If he is to be appointed finance minister, he will need to bring all of his commercial and economic interests into the open. Posted by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – April 25, 2021 © Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021