Israel for election - for the third time in a year

Never before has Israel held two elections in a year. And now a third is waiting.

Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the challenger Benny Gantz have succeeded in forming government, after which the ball passed to Parliament. But neither did the Kness succeed in getting a government leader and Parliament has now voted for its own dissolution before a new election.

Dead heat

The plan is for the Israelis to vote on March 2, 2020. And then, as it seems now, no dramatic changes are expected compared to the April and September elections. Then both Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party and Gantz's middle-oriented Blue-White alliance failed to win enough mandates to form government.

- Again, it is expected to be a smooth run, says Isabell Schierenbeck, Israeli scientist and professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg.

The two prime ministerial candidates have in turn and unsuccessfully tried to find support from possible cooperation parties - while blaming the deadlock on each other. They have also discussed a unifying government, but Gantz has ruled out co-operating with the corruption-accused Netanyahu.

Growing dissatisfaction

Neither did Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the secular right-wing party Yisrael Beitenu, who has been given a wave role, has wanted to reign with Netanyahu.

"Lieberman cannot imagine joining a right-wing government with the ultra-Orthodox parties and has therefore blocked the possibility of government with Netanyahu," Schierenbeck said.

- He (Lieberman) has also blocked the possibility of a government together with Gantz, because he does not want to sit with the Arab parties, which Gantz has not opened for.

Netanyahu's political difficulties are interwoven with the upcoming corruption indictment, in which the Likud leader has wanted to negotiate for immunity. But in some parties there is also a growing dissatisfaction with the right-wing twist that has taken place during his reign.

- The opposition calls it an attack on Israeli democracy. The government's policy has mobilized strong opinions and incompatible positions, says Schierenbeck.

Management change?

One way to avoid a new deadlock would be if Netanyahu left the party leader post.

- There is a growing opposition within Likud, against the policy that Netanyahu has driven but also against his imperfection. If he is removed from the party leadership post, it could affect the possibility of forming a government in the March elections, Schierenbeck says.