“We’re here to stay,” said Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid on Tuesday night, after exit polls gave him double-digit figures in seats in the Knesset elections.

Channel 1’s exit poll results predicted that Yesh Atid would win 11 seats, lower than the 19 the party achieved in 2013 but higher than some had predicted during the campaign. 

Speaking to party activists after exit polls were made public, Lapid said, “Now no one can ignore our strength in Israeli society.”

“We went to these elections after a challenging term in office and polls predicting a poor showing,” he continued. “Here we are, the largest centrist party with a double-digit number of seats. We are here to stay, we will be a major political force for years to come.”

Lapid did not say who he will recommend to the President to head the coalition and concluded by saying, “When the smoke clears people will internalize our achievement. Tomorrow morning we will continue to fight against corruption and extortion, we will present a vision. We have no intention of giving up.” 

Lapid’s campaign centered around the alleged “corruption” in other parties, and he also vowed to do whatever possible to ensure that Binyamin Netanyahu does not serve another term as Prime Minister. It is unclear, however, whether he will recommend “Zionist Union” leader Yitzhak Herzog to serve as Prime Minister.