Yisrael Beytenu and Blue and White signed a surplus vote-sharing deal on Monday, drawing criticism from the Right.
Under the Israeli electoral system, parties in the Knesset are awarded seats based on their proportional share of the overall vote. Since each seat is equivalent to a certain number of votes, parties often sign agreements from the same side of the political divide to ensure that both of their candidate lists maximize their potential strength.
Such deals mean that after the total vote is tallied, both parties share the remaining votes they received and then one of them could win an extra seat.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Yisrael Beytenu, which brands itself as a secular right-wing party, said it signed the deal with the center-left Blue and White because "there was no other option."
The party added that it "could not take the risk of losing a seat."
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman refused to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government after the April 9 election, denying him the necessary votes for a fifth term. This resulted in another early election being called, barely a month after the 21st Knesset was inaugurated.
Netanyahu slammed Yisrael Beytenu on Monday, saying that the surplus vote-sharing agreement showed the party was no longer part of the Right.
Those who want to [Blue and White leaders] Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid as prime ministers should vote Lieberman, who has joined the Left."
