Israel Weighs Minority Government Plan

Israel's opposition bloc is considering a minority government to take power after the upcoming elections. This strategy would allow a new administration to form without a permanent majority in parliament. The idea has sparked debate among key figures in the camp seeking to end Benjamin Netanyahu's rule.

Current polls indicate the anti-Netanyahu camp holds an advantage over the outgoing coalition. However, the Zionist parties united against change do not have enough seats to reach the sixty-one needed for a stable majority. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his allies also lack a clear path to power in most surveys. A small shift in voting patterns could determine whether Israel gets a new government or faces more political instability.

Gadi Eisenkot, who seeks to lead the bloc, supports this minority option. He refuses to serve under Netanyahu in any rotation arrangement. If his side wins fifty-eight or fifty-nine seats, Eisenkot proposes forming a government that survives a confidence vote. The administration would then work to widen its support base in the Knesset.

Legal experts note that a confidence vote requires a majority, not necessarily sixty-one votes in favor. Abstentions can allow a government to take office under this rule. This differs from a constructive vote of no confidence, which requires sixty-one MKs to back an alternative government. Therefore, this tactic helps form a new cabinet but does not guarantee the removal of a sitting government by simple majority.

Avigdor Liberman strongly opposes the minority government plan. He insists on a Zionist majority from the start and rejects any reliance on Arab party votes or abstentions. Liberman believes another election is preferable to a government that does not meet his conditions. He has suggested bringing in Likud MKs without Netanyahu, though no formal talks are currently underway.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, who head the Beyachad list, also demand a strictly Zionist government. They refuse to depend on the support of Arab parties. Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats, has not ruled out working with Ra'am. A recent meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman focused on raising voter turnout but failed to resolve their differences on the government structure.

Leadership rivalry continues within the bloc. Eisenkot wants to head the largest party and serve as the main candidate for forming the government. Bennett views himself as the natural choice due to his experience as a former prime minister. The two are competing for the top position while trying to align their parties on a unified platform.

The opposition also plans to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before any coalition deal is struck. They view this as a way to control the parliamentary agenda even if Netanyahu remains as caretaker. The bloc could use support from Arab party MKs to elect a new speaker in a public vote early in the new term.

Several names have surfaced for the speaker role, including Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot's list. Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg are candidates from the Bennett-Lapid list. Efrat Rayten of the Democrats and attorney Oded Forer of Yisrael Beytenu are also being considered. Liberman estimates that up to one-third of outgoing coalition MKs might vote against Ohana, though they must do so openly.

The bloc aims to pass several key laws, including a state commission of inquiry into October 7 and changes to conscription. They also want limits on the prime minister's tenure and the repeal of some judicial changes. Liberman seeks a bar on people facing criminal charges serving as prime minister. No binding agreement exists on the order of these moves, and obstacles remain. Not every member supports all judicial changes, and a new speaker does not automatically provide a legislative majority. The memory of the previous Bennett-Lapid government, which collapsed before completing its agenda, still weighs on the effort.