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It is a ritual post-parliamentary elections in Israel. Starting this Sunday afternoon, the President will receive one by one the leaders of political parties to be represented in the next Parliament. These consultations will last two days and at the end of these talks, it will be up to him to appoint the person responsible for forming the next government. When election results clear a clear majority, this ritual can be a mere formality. But given the current political stalemate, these consultations are becoming important.
With our correspondent in Jerusalem , Guilhem Delteil
Last April, the two main parties had the same number of seats in the Knesset, but Benyamin Netanyahu had the support of a majority of MPs. The choice of the president was therefore simple: despite the notorious enmity that binds him to the Prime Minister, Reuven Rivlin had renewed his mandate.
This time, the president - whose role is usually mostly protocolary - could have a real political weight. Unless there is a last-minute turnaround, neither of the two candidates for the position of head of government should obtain a majority. Benyamin Netanyahu should come before the president with a small advantage in terms of supporting MPs. But his party, Likud, came in second , behind Benny Gantz's Blue-white coalition. And in a situation that was more favorable to him, he had failed in April to form a government.
Reuven Rivlin has promised to do everything possible to avoid third elections and he does not trust Benyamin Netanyahu not to dissolve the Knesset again if he fails to form a government. Unusually, he warned that he could continue his discussions with the candidates for the post of Prime Minister beyond the first consultations. Before entrusting the mandate to Benny Gantz or Benyamin Netanyahu, Reuven Rivlin will seek to influence the formation of a unity government.