Ever since Yesh Atid crashed in the March 2015 election, dropping to just 11 seats, the party’s founder and chairman Yair Lapid proved that he understands political campaigns.
He showed talent in flipping off the opposition and succeeded in stealing the limelight from its official leader, Knesset member Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Camp. Lapid kept to a systematic strategy, which should have brought him to the prime minister’s office. This includes growing closer to the ultra-Orthodox and even playing up to them — because in Israel in 2016, there is no way to be prime minister without their support. It means winking at the right and distancing himself from any left-wing indicators — because in Israel in 2016, public sentiment is aligned with the nationalist right. And it involves embracing a stately (mainstream) approach on security and diplomatic issues — because the public knows how to appreciate a leader who does not attack the prime minister during hard times.