An SMS survey of hundreds of financial advisors by Meitav Investment House Ltd. found that they strongly prefer Likud chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu as minister of finance.
Two days after the election, it appears that Netanyahu will be asked to form the next government, although the task will be far from easy. Regardless of whether Netanyahu or if Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni becomes prime minister, one of the first orders of business in the current circumstances will be the appointment of a finance minister, given the global economic crisis and its impact on Israel.
Meitav asked financial advisors which of four candidates they would prefer as minister of finance: current Minister of Finance Ronnie Bar-On, Meir Sheetrit of Kadima, Netanyahu and MK Silvan Shalom (Likud), all of whom have held the portfolio in the past. All four men are considered candidates for the portfolio.
84% of the respondents said that they preferred the Likud candidates - Netanyahu and Shalom. 16% of the respondents said that they preferred the Kadima candidates -Bar-On and Sheetrit. Sheetrit, with 7% of the votes, is perceived a supporter of the poor.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 12, 2009
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