Bread Increase May Launch a Coalition Crisis
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Shouts of disapproval regarding last week’s decision by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordering a 7% increase in the price of subsidized bread can be heard from members of the coalition government, not just among opposition lawmakers.
Minister of Industry, Trade & Labor (Shas) Eli Yishai announced he will be leading the battle, but others, including MKs from the Labor Party are already flexing their coalition muscles, explaining they may oppose the state budget when voted upon in budget. Some Laborites tactfully reminded the prime minister via the media that the Labor Party can topple the government at any moment.
Labor members are reminding party leader Defense Minister Yair Peretz that he told voters the party would defend the working class, elderly and underprivileged, and therefore, they cannot tolerate the price increase in bread which coincided with last week’s swearing-in of the new cabinet.
