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Israeli political youth movements hope for revival

In contrast with veteran Israeli political parties, HaBayit HaYehudi and Yesh Atid devote considerable efforts to building their youth movements, thus cementing a strong electoral base for the future.
Youths look at a Likud-Yisrael Beitenu campaign poster depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem January 17, 2013. Netanyahu looks set to form a new governing coalition after next week's election, polls show, with the only question being whether he wants to soften its hardline contours. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3CKHF
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If it were up to students, Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett could very well be the next prime minister. A January 2015 survey of 2,583 students predicts 26 seats for his HaBayit HaYehudi party, and it's no wonder: HaBayit HaYehudi has been working for years with young people, and now it's paying off — those young people have grown up and now have the right to vote.

Those who were young in the early '90s, like myself, recall that participation in youth movement activities sponsored by political parties was a popular option, similar to a large extent to participation in apolitical youth movements like the Scouts, socialist Zionist HaShomer HaTzair or religious Zionist Bnei Akiva.

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