Israel's President Picks Candidate to Form New Government Next Week

A spokesman for the Israeli presidency said Israel's President Reuven Rivlin is going to start consultations with heads of the political parties that won over the last legislative election held on March 23.

It is worth noting that the fourth election in less than two years in Israel ended in a new political stalemate.

The spokesman added that Rivilin by April 7 will task a candidate to form the new government after receiving recommendations submitted by the parties.

The final results of the legislative election in Israel that announced by the Central Election Committee revealed that a coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu won 52 seats in the next Knesset that includes 120 seats.

But an opposing bloc won 57 seats.

Due to the absence of a convenient method to form a governing majority, the political fate of Netanyahu depends on supporting of one or both of the two minor parties.

Those parties are Yamina ( in Hebrew means toward the Right) and the Arab United List ( known in Hebrew acronyms as Ra'am) led by Mansour Abbas. A Palestinian dentist.

The opposing bloc comprises different centrist, rightist, and leftist political currents that did not reveal plans to form a majority to lead Israel over the period to come.

Among the opposing parties in Israel, is  Yesh Atid ( There is a Future in Hebrew ) led by Yair Lapid won 17 seats in the 24th Knesset.

The Likud chaired by Netanyahu won 30 seats but Rivlin, according to the law, is not obliged to task Netanyahu to form the next cabinet in Israel.

The Israeli president can choose another candidate to form a coalition.

A candidate picked by Rivilin has 42 days to form a government but if he fails the president has the right to pick another person.

The Israeli president may refer the issue of the new government to the Knesset to appoint a new Premier.

If the legislative body fails to lead Israel out of the quagmire, the fifth election would be the last resort.