(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “won’t raise taxes” if re-elected on March 2, after leading economists and investors speculated hikes might be necessary to plug a growing budget deficit.
Netanyahu made the pledge in an interview with Israeli radio, according to a text message on Friday from a spokeswoman for his Likud party. The prime minister also said he would ask former Jerusalem mayor and technology investor Nir Barkat, who’s on the Likud ticket, to be finance minister if he’s picked to lead the next government.
Israelis will head to the polls early next month for the third time in less than a year. Polls show another deadlock between the blocs headed by Netanyahu and his top challenger, Benny Gantz.
In the midst of the unprecedented political gridlock, Israel has been governed by a series of caretaker governments unable to pass a budget and lacking a mandate to cut public spending or raise taxes.
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