developing· Politics· Updated 20:49

President Herzog Expected to Task Eisenkot First With Government Formation

President Isaac Herzog is expected to task Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, with the first mandate to form Israel's next government. The decision, which follows the Knesset elections, will be based on the number of recommendations each candidate receives from party factions during consultations. While the president has broad discretion, the candidate with the most support from Knesset members traditionally receives the first opportunity. According to Hamal, Eisenkot also chairs the National Unity Party, which is expected to receive the most recommendations.

3 newsrooms · 1 language · since 27 Oct, 22:44

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President Herzog Expected to Task Eisenkot First With Government Formation — Illustration by baba

What happened

01President Isaac Herzog is expected to grant Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar! party the first mandate to form a government.
02With 85.5% of the votes counted, the Netanyahu bloc holds 53 seats compared to 48 seats for Eisenkot's bloc.
03The mandate decision will be based on the number of recommendations each candidate receives from Knesset factions.
04Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly prefers to be second in line to prevent Eisenkot from forming a government with Arab parties.
05President Herzog will officially receive the election results next week from Judge Solberg before starting faction consultations.
06Avigdor Lieberman opposes appointing a Knesset speaker from Yashar! due to concerns over potential government formations.
07Herzog praised the high voter turnout and stressed the absolute necessity of avoiding repeat elections.

With 85.5% of the votes counted, excluding double envelopes, the bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu holds 53 seats, while Eisenkot's bloc holds 48. Netanyahu reportedly prefers to receive the mandate second, potentially to prevent Eisenkot from gaining the legitimacy to form a government with Arab parties should Netanyahu fail first. If Eisenkot receives the mandate, he will be positioned to lead the Knesset and the Arrangements Committee to advance government formation.

President Herzog praised the high voter turnout as a badge of honor for Israeli society and a testament to the desire for democracy. He emphasized the critical need to avoid repeat elections and urged all parties to approach the upcoming consultations with an open mind. Herzog will officially receive the election results next week from Judge Solberg before beginning formal consultations with all factions. Meanwhile, criticism has emerged within the change bloc regarding Eisenkot's campaign strategy, and Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman has expressed reservations about appointing a Knesset speaker from Yashar!.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 21:02

Latest report: Channel 13. Read Channel 13’s original