Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday promised to introduce socio-economic reforms, a day after his nationalist Likud party won parliamentary elections, but with fewer mandates than expected, dpa reported.
"We are waking up the morning after the elections to a clear message from the public," Netanyahu told reporters after meeting former foreign minister and coalition partner Avigdor Lieberman to discuss upcoming coalition negotiations.
Netanyahu said security would remain a top priority, but his next government would also focus on: increasing equal privileges and obligations between secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews; reducing the cost of housing; and electoral reform.
"The public in Israel wants me to continue to lead the country," he said. "We will focus the talks on forming a government on these three principles. We want to form as broad a government as possible, which will bring the news of these changes to the people of Israel, to all citizens of Israel."