On Tuesday, February 21, the Israeli Parliament gave its green light at first reading to two bills on the flagship provisions of a controversial reform of the judicial system, raising fears among its opponents of an anti-democratic drift in the country.

During an evening vote, the deputies approved by 63 votes against 47 these texts which modify the process of appointment of judges and introduce a "derogation" clause allowing Parliament to annul certain decisions of the Supreme Court by simple majority .

This acts as a Constitutional Court, in the absence of a Constitution.

The justice reform project was announced in early January by the government, formed in December by right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with far-right parties and ultra-Orthodox Jewish formations.

>> To read also: Reform of justice in Israel: "If Netanyahu persists, the movement could become radicalized"

Measure decried

The text mobilizes a strong part of public opinion against him.

In Tel Aviv, demonstrations take place every Saturday evening, bringing together tens of thousands of protesters - a sign of a massive mobilization across the size of the country - who denounce en bloc this project but also the general policy of the government.

On Monday, in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of people demonstrated around the Parliament against the vote, before which the debates were disrupted by elected members of the opposition draped in Israeli flags and temporarily removed.

Both bills must return to the House Law Committee for further debate, before second and third reading votes in plenary session to become law.

Difficult negotiations

After the night's vote, Justice Minister Yariv Levin called on opposition members to "come and discuss".

"We can come to agreements," he said.

But opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the ruling coalition of pushing Israel towards civil war.

If "you care about Israel and its people", then "stop legislating [on this reform] today", he said.

For Benjamin Netanyahu and Yariv Levin, the bill is necessary to restore a balance of power between elected officials and the Supreme Court, which the Prime Minister and his allies consider politicized.

On the contrary, say its detractors, the reform, by aiming to reduce the influence of the judiciary in favor of political power, jeopardizes the democratic character of the State of Israel.

With AFP

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