Israel's "Change Bloc" Secures Key Knesset Roles Ahead of Government Formation

The 26th Knesset was sworn in Tuesday amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes political maneuvering. Leaders of the "change bloc" parties, including Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, have reached significant agreements on key parliamentary positions before a new government is officially formed. Their immediate priority is to replace the current Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana of the Likud party. The bloc plans to submit a formal request backed by 61 signatures to compel Ohana to convene the plenum for a vote within seven days. Following internal disagreements, former minister Matan Kahana has been agreed upon as the candidate for Knesset Speaker.

In parallel, agreements have been reached on the leadership of two crucial transitional committees. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman is slated to chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, while Liran Avishar Ben Horin will head the Finance Committee. MK Roy Folkman, from the "Yesh Atid" party, will lead the Arrangements Committee, which manages the Knesset's work and committee compositions. The Finance Committee is expected to address significant budget adjustments, including the approval of surplus funds from 2025 and proposed budget cuts totaling approximately one billion shekels.

The Arrangements Committee is already the scene of a dispute between the outgoing coalition and the opposition regarding the proportional representation of Knesset members. The coalition proposed one representative for every four MKs, while the opposition suggested one for every five. A compromise of one representative for every nine MKs has been put forward but not yet agreed upon. The final committee compositions are scheduled for approval by the plenum on Wednesday.

These parliamentary agreements are being finalized while MK Gadi Eisenkot works to form a coalition, having received the mandate from President Herzog based on the recommendation of 67 MKs. However, the path to government formation remains challenging, with internal unity issues within the change bloc. For instance, while the Democratic party faction intends to advance legislation to repeal laws from the previous government's judicial system, limit prime ministerial terms, and promote social issues like state-funded long-term care insurance and public transportation on Shabbat, Lieberman has indicated that judicial legislation is not a top priority. The parties must also agree on the mechanism for establishing a planned state commission of inquiry.

Beyond political disputes, the 26th Knesset sees a significant renewal, with 46 out of 120 MKs serving for the first time. They will be joined by 12 returning MKs and 62 continuing members from the outgoing Knesset. All will be welcomed with greetings before the new Knesset officially begins its work.