Netanyahu's Lawyer Withdraws Candidacy for State Comptroller

Attorney Michael Ravilo, who represents Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, officially announced on Friday his withdrawal from the race for State Comptroller. In July, the High Court of Justice had frozen Ravilo's entry into the position following petitions against his appointment. Following Ravilo's announcement, retired Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron remains the sole candidate for the role. A senior figure in the Gush Izunkeot bloc reportedly contacted Elron this week to confirm their continued support. Meanwhile, the Likud party has been deliberating whether to also support Elron to prevent a potential defeat for whoever is positioned against him.

The selection of a new State Comptroller is among the initial priorities for the incoming Knesset, which will be sworn in next Tuesday. Other key legislative tasks include replacing the Knesset Speaker, repealing "regime change" laws, enacting a term limits law effective from the next election, and establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7th massacre.

In July, High Court justices unanimously ruled that a significant flaw in the secrecy of the vote during the second round of the previous Knesset's election for State Comptroller, which saw Ravilo chosen, necessitated its cancellation. The then-Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana, refused to hold a new election for the position. Justice Minister Yariv Levin had also stated at the time that Ravilo should assume the role, despite the High Court's ruling for a repeat election.

Since the departure of the previous State Comptroller, Matanyahu Engelman, the ministry's director-general has been acting in the role. Ravilo had been elected in the outgoing Knesset after two rounds of voting with 61 votes, as no candidate secured the required majority in the first round. In that initial round, Elron received 60 votes, while Ravilo garnered 57. During the second round, Likud reportedly instructed its Knesset members to document themselves voting for Ravilo, despite the Knesset's legal counsel prohibiting mobile phones in the voting booth during the secret ballot. Nevertheless, several coalition MKs, primarily from Likud, were photographed during the vote, allegedly compromising the secrecy mandated by the Basic Law: State Comptroller.