Government leadership first round concluded
President Rivlin has concluded his round of consultations ahead of nominating a candidate to form a government.
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, on Aug. 13, 2020. Photo by Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90.
Yesterday, the president met with representatives of the parties, heard their recommendations and will announce a Knesset Member who will be entrusted with forming a government in the near future. Once the president has nominated a candidate, that Knesset Member will have 28 days, according to Basic Law: The Government (2001), to form a new government. If additional time is required, the president is authorized to grant an extension of up to 14 days, according to law.
Before beginning the consultations, President Rivlin said: “The process of nominating a candidate to form a government by the president is established in Basic Law: The Government (2001). Paragraph 7 of that law says, ‘When a new Government has to be constituted, the President of the State shall, after consultation with representatives of party groups in the Knesset, assign the task of forming a Government to a Knesset Member who has notified him that he is prepared to accept the task’.
The aim of the process that the law sets out is to bring about the formation of a government that will have the confidence of the new Knesset that has been elected by the people.
And therefore, and as I have said in the past, and as I say again now, the main consideration that will guide me is entrusting a Knesset Member with the task who has the best chance of forming a government that will have the confidence of the new Knesset.”
Likud nominated MK Benjamin Netanyahu
Yesh Atid nominated MK Yair Lapid
Shas recommended MK Benjamin Netanyahu
Kachol Lavan recommended MK Yair Lapid
Yamina recommended MK Naftali Bennett
United Torah Judaism recommended MK Benjamin Netanyahu
Labor recommended MK Yair Lapid
Yisrael Beiteinu recommended MK Yair Lapid
The Religious Zionist Party recommended MK Benjamin Netanyahu
Meretz recommended Yair Lapid
New Hope, the Joint List and Ra’am decided not to recommend any candidate
At the end of the round of consultations, 52 Knesset Members nominated Prime Minister and Likud chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu. 45 MKs recommended head of Yesh Atid MK Yair Lapid and seven MKs nominated chair of Yamina MK Naftali Bennet. Three parties did not recommend any candidate.
