As of: 06/20/2022 7:00 p.m
The Israeli governing coalition apparently wants to dissolve parliament and thus initiate new elections. Prime Minister Bennett’s office announced that it would introduce a corresponding bill into Parliament.
Israel’s eight-party government apparently plans to dissolve parliament and hold new elections. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office said there would be a vote on dissolving parliament in the coming days. All “attempts to stabilize the coalition” had been exhausted, it said.
After the dissolution of the Knesset and until a new government is sworn in, the current foreign minister, Jair Lapid, is to take over the office of prime minister. So far, Naftali Bennett is on the post. Both later wanted to give a press conference. According to media reports, the elections could take place at the end of October.
shaky coalition
In June 2021, Bennett and Lapid agreed on the historic formation of a coalition that included parties from all political camps. Prior to that, long-term Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been in power for 12 years. At that time, Bennett and Lapid decided on a rotation principle, according to which the two wanted to take turns at the head of government.
But the government alliance has been wobbling for a long time. Most recently, in April, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians put the coalition to the test. After clashes around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Arab Raam party had threatened to withdraw from the coalition if the government continued its crackdown on Palestinian demonstrators.
In April, the multi-party coalition lost its razor-thin majority of 61 out of 120 seats after a MP left the alliance. The opposition around ex-Prime Minister Netanyahu is demanding Bennett’s resignation.