The surprise appointment and acceptance of the person who is still in charge of forming a Government in Israel as Speaker of Parliament reflects the most serious institutional chaos the country has experienced since its founding in 1948. The leader of the centrist coalition, Benny Gantz, was elected to the position with the overwhelming support of who was supposed to be his fierce rival, acting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz's decision has completely dissolved his coalition.
Previous editorials
Throw Netanyahu
More Netanyahu
No to Trump's plan
The coronavirus crisis has only exacerbated a situation that has shaken the Israeli institutional building. The country has held three general elections in the past year in the face of unprecedented political paralysis, conditioned by Netanyahu's ongoing attempt to escape prosecution for corruption and bribery. In fact, the prime minister was due to appear in court on Tuesday 17 as a defendant, but a move by his justice minister, citing the health crisis, has delayed the process. Netanyahu will not have to respond in court until May. And that if it does. In parallel, the opposition tried to remove the then president of Parliament, belonging to Netanyahu's party, last Wednesday. Directly refusing to comply with the regulations, the questioned leader of the House went as far as to disobey an explicit order from the Supreme Court to summon the deputies. When they finally met on Thursday the solution was the most unexpected. To curl the loop, Gantz still intends to form the Government in an unprecedented exercise against the separation of powers that is part of the manual of any democracy.
Institutional degradation is the logical result of a systematic lack of respect for the rules that Netanyahu has spearheaded for months with the sole objective of not being held to account in court. Israel has entered unexplored political territory where it seems that only the veteran politician is clear about his goal: to save his personal situation.
You can follow EL PAÍS Opinion on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe here to the Newsletter.