Israel's government is aiming for new elections - parliament is to be dissolved
Created: 2022-06-20Updated: 2022-06-20 18:57
By: Markus Hofstetter
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is aiming for new elections (archive photo) © Abir Sultan/EPA POOL via AP/dpa
Israel's eight-party government plans to dissolve parliament and hold new elections.
Tel Aviv - The government coalition in Israel wants to dissolve the parliament and thus initiate new elections.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Jair Lapid announced on Monday to bring in a corresponding draft law in the Knesset next week.
All "attempts to stabilize the coalition" had been "exhausted," it said.
If the bill is passed, Lapid will become head of the interim government.
According to the media, the elections could take place at the end of October.
Government crisis in Israel: Ex-Prime Minister Netanyahu demands Bennett's resignation
In June 2021, Bennett and Lapid agreed on the historic formation of a coalition that included parties from all political camps.
Long-term Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously been in power for twelve years.
At that time, Bennett and Lapid decided on a rotation principle, according to which the two wanted to take turns at the head of government.
Most recently, in April, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians put the coalition to the test.
After clashes around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Arab Raam party threatened to withdraw from the coalition if the government continued its crackdown on Palestinian demonstrators.
In April, the multi-party coalition lost its razor-thin majority of 61 out of 120 seats after a MP left the alliance.
The opposition around ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is demanding Bennett's resignation.