Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to announce today who will be tasked with forming the country’s new government. He will make this decision following a series of consultations with various political parties.
According to the Israeli news outlet Ynet, President Herzog shared this information in a video message on Thursday.
Herzog stated that parties representing 67 of the 120 parliamentary seats have proposed Gadi Eisenkot—a leader from the Yesh Atid-affiliated camp—for the role. Meanwhile, parties representing 46 seats have expressed support for the Likud party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Herzog noted, “While the outcome of the consultations with the parties might appear clear at first glance, the formation of a government remains uncertain due to mutual objections both between and within the various political alliances.”
He added that he would hold further individual discussions with the leaders of the political parties to assess the prospects for forming a government. The Israeli President also pledged to do his utmost to facilitate the establishment of a stable government.
Parliamentary elections were held in Israel on October 27. Neither the coalition led by Netanyahu nor the opposition bloc managed to secure an absolute majority.
Under Israeli law, the President assigns the task of forming a government to a lawmaker following consultations with the various parties in parliament. The primary criterion for this selection is the candidate’s ability to command the support of a parliamentary majority.
