Over to the Knesset
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin has informed Speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz that he is entrusting the Knesset with the task of forming a government.
The Knesset Photo by Esty Dziubov/TPS
At this point, according to Article 10 (a) of Basic Law: The Government (2001), a majority of members of Knesset may request, in writing, that the President of the State assign the task of forming a government to a particular Knesset Member, who so agreed in writing, all within 21 days of the president’s announcement.
In his letter to the Speaker of the Knesset, the president wrote, “We are in a third consecutive election campaign this year, without any elected official able to form a government that would have the confidence of the Knesset. As president, it is my duty according to Basic Law: The Government (2001) [hereinafter ‘the Basic Law’] to act in a way that a government will be formed in Israel, as soon as possible, and in accordance with this I have used my authority in the elections for the 23rd Knesset.”
“In light of the situation that these third elections have produced as it appears to me at this time, according to which neither of the candidates has the support of a majority of Knesset Members in a way that allows them to secure the confidence of the Knesset and form a government, including in the form of a national unity government, and obligated by the meaning of Basic Law: The Government (2001), to bring about as soon as possible the formation of a government that will enjoy the confidence of the Knesset, I am informing you that I do not see the possibility of forming a government and I entrust the formation of a government to the Knesset, which is entitled to act under Article 10(a) of this law. I hope that the Knesset Members will be able to form a majority in such a way that a government can be formed as soon as possible, and to prevent a fourth round of elections.”
