In recent weeks, since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in passing the state budget on Nov. 19, he’s been tense and has been mulling over pessimistic political scenarios. Instead of enjoying his big political achievement in passing a budget with a narrow coalition of 61 members out of 120 Knesset seats, and the stability this achievement assures, exactly the opposite happened to Netanyahu: He started thinking about political calculations, as if he had not won an election less than a year ago on March 17.

Senior political sources in the coalition who are close to Netanyahu say that they’ve been astounded at the frenzy and disquiet coming from his direction from the moment the budget passed. In recent weeks, he has begun to plan political moves to entrench his position in the Likud Party and in the leadership of the right. Netanyahu’s goal, according to these sources, is to arrive at the next election standing at the head of a large right-wing bloc, if possible, together with Naftali Bennett, the chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi, and Moshe Kahlon, the chairman of Kulanu, or at least one of them.

What’s strange about the anxieties that have overcome the prime minister is that the last election cycle ended only nine months ago and the opposition is still licking the wounds of its defeat, and it doesn’t seem like it is succeeding at challenging him with a candidate either from within the political system or outside of it. Even the stars of the previous election, Kahlon and Bennett, are not succeeding in getting a footing among the public, according to recent polls, and the chairman of Kulanu has even been significantly damaged politically. Even pugnacious figures in the opposition such as Yair Lapid, the chairman of Yesh Atid, and Avigdor Liberman, the chairman of Yisrael Beitenu, are far from a significant breakthrough, even though their support is on the rise.

In the Likud, despite background noises from the direction of former Minister Gideon Saar and Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat, who are mentioned as possible contenders against Netanyahu for the leadership of the party, there are no signs of a real battle brewing like there was in the past between Netanyahu and Ariel Sharon, the former prime minister who died in 2014. Likud members want to stay in power and will always prefer the person who can deliver the goods. Right now, that’s Netanyahu.