Shas party suffers historic election drop amid leadership criticism

Shas plunged to six seats as internal critics blamed party leadership for alienating voters.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas party dropped to six seats in partial election results, marking its worst performance in decades. A former minister blamed party leader Arye Deri for alienating traditional voters during the ongoing conscription crisis. Meanwhile, rival factions gained ground as support plunged in historical strongholds.

• The outcomeShas recorded its worst electoral showing in 35 years.
• The contrastUnited Torah Judaism held its ground while Shas support fell sharply.
• The contextOtzma Yehudit gained ground as traditional voters drifted away.