Former journalist Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party will win 22 mandates in the next general election, Lapid predicted in his party's first major national campaign event, a pre-Rosh Hashana toast at Kibbutz Shefayim.
Hundreds of activists attended the event in which Israeli-style felafel was served. Public figures who are rumored to be running for Knesset with Yesh Atid who attended included Herzliya mayor Yael German, former Jerusalem police chief Mickey Levy, and former Health Ministry director-general Eitan Chai-Am.
Lapid explained his 22-seat prediction by noting the large numbers of undecided centrist voters, young people eligible to vote for the first time, and volunteers working to raise awareness of the party. Some 12,000 volunteers have organized into 80 local campaigns in 80 communities across the country.