Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud party is assured of victory in tomorrow's legislative elections, according to three latest opinion polls.
Likud is set to become the biggest party in the Knesset, winning 33 of the 120 parliamentary seats, according to a poll by the Yediot Aharonotdaily published Monday. Likud holds 19 seats at the moment.
The Labour party, led by Mr Amram Mitzna, who is considered a "dove", can expect 18-19 seats, which would be its lowest tally since the first Israeli elections in 1949, according to the poll. Labour holds 25 seats in the Knesset.
Mr Tommy Lapid's secular and centrist Shinui party is set for a spectacular parliamentary breakthrough to become the third party with 16 seats, ten more than it holds.
Polls published in the Maarivand Haaretzdailies offered similar predictions, differing by a seat or two from the Yediot Aharonotsurvey.
No pollsters believe that Likud will win enough seats to govern alone in the next parliament and are sure that Mr Sharon will have to seek alliance partners.
An alliance with the extreme right and religious parties could give him a working majority of 64 or 65 seats in the 120-seat chamber, according to the polls.
Mr Sharon would prefer a broad government of national unity with Labour to reinforce Israel's position abroad, but the Labour party has categorically ruled out that option.
AFP