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Kahlon's new party will challenge Likud, Shas

Former Likud Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon is capable of changing the political game and tipping the scales — provided he manages to undermine the power base of the Likud and Shas parties.
Moshe Kahlon, Israel's Communications and Social Welfare Minister (L) speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Likud party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem October 15, 2012. Netanyahu's Likud party suffered a setback to its popularity on Monday following the announcement by Kahlon, one of the party's best appreciated ministers, that he would step down after an upcoming general election. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3966V
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About three weeks ago, at the beginning of October, former Communications Minister Moshe Kahlon met with a group of senior business executives, and introduced them to his economic and social worldview. The members of the group, CEOs and heads of large corporations, are among the economic elite of Israel. From time to time, they convene for an informal, closed meeting with a key figure in the Israeli public. Naturally, Kahlon, who signed on for the reform of the local cellular market and was considered a likely front-runner in the next parliamentary elections, has stirred much interest in this forum.

However, expectations that the former communications and welfare minister would present forum members with a well-formulated socioeconomic policy were met with some disappointment. Al-Monitor found out that the socioeconomic “lecture” delivered by Kahlon was rather sketchy and not fully formed, and so were the reforms he was talking about.

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