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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid gains chance to form government, oust Netanyahu
Source: Washington Post
JERUSALEM — Yair Lapid, a former news anchor and leader of Israel's centrist opposition, was picked to negotiate a new governing coalition Wednesday, opening the possibility of Israel getting its first government not led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in more than a decade.
President Reuven Rivlin tapped Lapid to make the next attempt to form a government one day after Netanyahu failed to assemble a parliamentary majority after 28 days of effort. Under Israel’s system, Lapid also has four weeks to craft a power-sharing plan. If he falls short, the president could open to the process to any member of the Knesset or call for Israel’s fifth election since the spring of 2019.
Lapid will face a stiff challenge in trying to find common ground among the range of anti-Netanyahu parties elected in March. As a bloc, they would control enough seats to secure a majority. But ideologically, they range from the far right to the far left of Israel’s political spectrum. They also include Israeli Arab parties that traditionally play no part in supporting governing coalitions but that may be needed this time.
What unites them is anger at Netanyahu’s refusal to step down after he was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. His opponents accuse the prime minister, who has failed to secure a governing majority in four elections, of clinging to power to stave off his legal peril.
President Reuven Rivlin tapped Lapid to make the next attempt to form a government one day after Netanyahu failed to assemble a parliamentary majority after 28 days of effort. Under Israel’s system, Lapid also has four weeks to craft a power-sharing plan. If he falls short, the president could open to the process to any member of the Knesset or call for Israel’s fifth election since the spring of 2019.
Lapid will face a stiff challenge in trying to find common ground among the range of anti-Netanyahu parties elected in March. As a bloc, they would control enough seats to secure a majority. But ideologically, they range from the far right to the far left of Israel’s political spectrum. They also include Israeli Arab parties that traditionally play no part in supporting governing coalitions but that may be needed this time.
What unites them is anger at Netanyahu’s refusal to step down after he was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. His opponents accuse the prime minister, who has failed to secure a governing majority in four elections, of clinging to power to stave off his legal peril.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/yair-lapid-israel-government/2021/05/05/fedd2fdc-ad3b-11eb-82c1-896aca955bb9_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
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