Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader ousted as PM; rivals to form govt

Israel's opposition parties have reached an agreement to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been the longest-serving leader of the nation after staying in power for 12 years. This comes following the emergence of a coalition deal between centrist Yair Lapid and the far-right Naftali Bennet along with six other parties. This move is a result of several corruption charges levied against Netanyahu and his wife, for which they are under trial. However, the leader denies all charges. It appears now that a combination of parties will take turns governing the nation-state. The first new Prime Minister is expected to Naftali Bennett, who belongs to the right-wing party; the second will be from a centrist party. Notably, this coalition includes an Arab party as well and reportedly has 61 out of 120 seats. If it loses that narrow majority, Israel will once again have to go in for another election. Why is there a new coalition in Israel? Israel has so far seen four national elections in the past two years alone In all of these, no political party seemed to have won a majority on its own and the party that formed the government was able to do so by allying with other parties. After the March 2020 elections, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party famously joined hands with Benny Gantz’s centrist party Kaḥol Lavan, also known as Blue and White to form a unity government. However, the fractious coalition did not last too long and by December 2020, the government collapsed again after the Knesset (parliament) failed to pass the annual budget Bill, thereby pushing Israel into another election. In the March 2021 election, voters once again gave a split verdict. While Likud emerged as the biggest party this time as well with 30 seats out of 120, it still failed to form a majority to make up a single-party government; and this time Likud also could not form a coalition with other parties to meet the majority mark. Following Netanyahu's predicament of being unable to form the government, the country's President invited the second-largest party in the Knesset with 17 members to form the government. Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid was faced with the mammoth task of putting together a coalition that would hit 61 seats. Which parties are part of the coalition? Lapid's Yesh Atid, Gantz's Blue and White joined hands and together they have 25 seats. Six other parties have also banded together - the right-wing Yamina with 7 MKs (Member of Knesset), centre-right New Hope with 6 MKs, centre-left Meretz with 6MKs, Labour Party with 7 MKs, the secular right party Yisrael Beiteinu which has 7 MKs and finally Arab Ra’am which has won 4 seats in the recently concluded elections. Together, the eight-party coalition now has 62 seats, just enough to cross the majority mark but with a razor-thin difference end even if a single MK backs out, Israel will have to start all over again. What's next for Benjamin Netanyahu after he steps down as Prime Minister? Netanyahu who is under trial on corruption charges, the best outcome that awaits him is Bennet's failure to prove majority in the Knesset, following which the country will move into another round of elections, and he gets to stay in power until then with certain Prime Ministerial immunity. If he is ousted, he might have to face the music if the allegations prove true and is convicted. He will remain the leader of the Opposition if the charges against him are quashed.

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Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader ousted as PM; rivals to form govt

Benjamin Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the past 12 years will now have to step down as 8 coalition parties have agreed to unseat him and form the government

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