Primaries before reserved spots: Ra'am will remain Ra'am, Saglovich's integration not yet finalized
Following reports on secret negotiations and Yoav Saglovich's resignation from Yesh Atid, the Ra'am party is gauging public opinion. Mansour Abbas stated that decisions regarding reserved spots will be made by a special forum after the primaries, and dismissed rumors of a name change as "fake news."
The possibility of Yoav Saglovich joining Ra'am remains on the agenda. The party is currently assessing the mood of the Arab public and the potential reaction to this move, which was detailed by Nahum Barnea on ynet and in "Yedioth Ahronoth" as a potential shift in the party's Knesset list composition.
However, the party emphasized that at this stage, there are no agreements regarding the former Yesh Atid MK, and any decision will be made strictly within the framework of Ra'am's internal processes.
Party chairman Mansour Abbas told ynet that the sequence of events is the opposite of what has been reported: primaries will be held first, and only afterwards will the party decide on reserved spots. According to Abbas, a special forum will convene after the primaries to determine which candidates will be included in the Knesset list. The primaries are scheduled for August 22, and no final decision regarding Saglovich is expected before that date.
Abbas also addressed rumors regarding a potential name change for Ra'am:
"This is fake news. There is no decision to change the party's name. It will remain Ra'am in Hebrew, and in Arabic: The United List."
These developments follow Saglovich's announcement to Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid regarding his resignation from the Knesset and his departure from the party. Saglovich, who served as an MK for Yesh Atid since 2019, stated:
"I have announced my resignation from the Knesset. I wish great success to Yesh Atid and the Together party, which will continue to act with determination for the citizens of the State of Israel."
Lapid thanked him for his service: "I thank Yoav for his contribution to Yesh Atid and the State of Israel, and I wish him success in his future path." With Saglovich now outside the Knesset and Yesh Atid, political interest in his next steps is growing. Ra'am has clarified: the possibility exists, but at this stage, there is no agreement, no reserved spot, and no change to the party's name. First the primaries, then the decisions.
