Knesset voted to pass a new government formation plan
Xinhua News Agency, Jerusalem, June 13 (Reporter Shang Hao and Lu Yingxu) The Knesset voted on the 13th to approve the proposal for the formation of a new government proposed by the leader of the center-left party "Have the Future", Yail Rapide.
The establishment of this new government ended 12 consecutive years of power by the leader of the right-wing party Likud, Netanyahu.
The Knesset passed the new government formation plan with 60 votes in favor, 59 votes against, and 1 abstention that night.
The new government includes eight political parties, including the "Have a Future" Party, the United Right-Wing Alliance, the Blue and White Party, and the United Arab Party.
This is the first government in Israel’s history to include an Arab political party.
According to the new government formation plan, the position of prime minister will be held by the leader of the United Right Alliance Naftali Bennett, and Rapide will be the alternate prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. The two will rotate in the prime ministerial position in about two years.
The cabinet members will be sworn in on the same day.
The Knesset also elected Miki Levy, a member of the "Have the Future" party, as its Speaker.
On March 23 this year, Israel held its fourth parliamentary election in two years.
On April 6, then President Rivlin authorized Netanyahu to form a new government, but Netanyahu failed to form a cabinet before the deadline of midnight on May 4.
On May 5, Rivlin authorized Rapide to form a cabinet, and on the evening of June 2, Rapide announced the successful formation of a new government.
The Knesset is unicameral.
The law stipulates that a political party that has more than half of the seats in the parliament can form a separate cabinet.
Because of the numerous small and medium-sized parties, there has never been a single political party forming a cabinet in Israel's history.