Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot officially received the mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday during a ceremony at the President’s Residence, as the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued its efforts to secure coalition partners.
Eisenkot will have 28 days to form a government, and the president may grant an extension of up to 14 additional days if necessary.
Eisenkot receives 67 recommendations in the week following elections
The Yashar leader received 67 recommendations during consultations Herzog held throughout last week with representatives of all the parties set to serve in the incoming Knesset. Meanwhile, Netanyahu received 46 recommendations.
Eisenkot received the backing of both Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, although their recommendations do not commit them to ultimately joining his coalition.
The election results showed a political deadlock in which no bloc received a 61-seat Knesset majority, making the path to forming the next government unclear. Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats, while the opposition bloc won 48. The Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, won a record-breaking 19 seats combined.
If the candidate fails to form a government within the allotted time, informs Herzog that the effort has failed, or presents a government that fails to win a confidence vote, the president must decide within three days whether to assign the task to another MK or inform the Knesset speaker that he sees no possibility of forming a government.
Meanwhile, in Netanyahu’s bloc, the parties that recommended the prime minister included Likud, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party (RZP), Moshe Feiglin’s Zehut, and Arye Deri’s Shas.
The haredi (ultra-Orthodox) United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, a longtime coalition partner of Netanyahu, declined to recommend a candidate for prime minister.
UTJ's decision to abstain comes amid reported tensions between the haredi party and Netanyahu, and it benefits the opposition bloc seeking to replace him. Opposition party leaders have recently signaled greater openness to including haredi parties in their coalition, beginning negotiations with them.
The political deadlock could ultimately lead to another election, although the parties may still reach an agreement through coalition negotiations. Other possible outcomes include a unity government between Netanyahu and members of Eisenkot’s bloc, or a minority government.
What happens next?
Under Israeli law, if the candidate who receives the mandate fails to form a government within the allotted time, informs Herzog that the effort has failed, or presents a government that fails to win a confidence vote, the president must decide within three days whether to assign the task to another MK or inform the Knesset speaker that he sees no possibility of forming a government.
A second candidate would then have 28 days to establish a coalition, without the possibility of an extension.
If the second attempt also fails, or Herzog decides not to appoint another candidate, a 21-day period begins during which at least 61 MKs can jointly request that the president assign the task to a particular lawmaker. That candidate would have 14 days to form a government.
Should all attempts fail, the Knesset would be dissolved, and another election would be held. Until a new government wins the Knesset's confidence and takes office, the outgoing government remains in place in a caretaker capacity.
Shir Perets contributed to this report.