Israel's Power Struggle: President Herzog Consults Parties to Pick Next PM
President Isaac Herzog holds critical talks with Knesset factions to decide who will form the next Israeli government after inconclusive elections.
Following an inconclusive general election, Israel is now gripped by high-stakes political maneuvering. President Isaac Herzog has entered the second day of critical consultations with newly elected Knesset factions to determine who is best positioned to lead the nation as the next prime minister.
These formal discussions, which are being broadcast live from the presidential compound in Jerusalem, are the primary mechanism for deciding which leader will be tasked with forming a governing coalition. The process began the previous evening with smaller parliamentary groups and has since expanded to include the major political players.
The Process of Selection
Under Israeli law, the President does not simply hand the mandate to the party with the most seats. Instead, President Herzog is required to designate the legislator who is deemed to have the highest probability of successfully assembling a functioning government.
During these meetings, each faction is formally asked to endorse a specific candidate for the premiership. The sequence of meetings on the second day included:
- United Torah Judaism
- Otzma Yehudit
- The Democrats
- Ra’am
- The Joint List
- B’Yachad
- Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar faction
- Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party
The Battle of Endorsements
The political landscape is currently split between two primary contenders: incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot.
The Pro-Netanyahu Bloc
Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured the backing of several key factions. Both Likud and Otzma Yehudit have publicly confirmed their support for him. Additionally, the Religious Zionist Party, Shas, and Zehut have added their voices to this bloc, urging the President to grant Netanyahu the mandate.
The Pro-Eisenkot Bloc
On the other side, Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as a strong alternative. He has received endorsements from:
- Yashar
- The Democrats
- B’Yachad
- Ra’am
- Yisrael Beytenu, led by Avigdor Liberman
The Undecided and the Kingmakers
While the two main camps have formed, some factions remain undecided, potentially holding the balance of power. The four representatives of United Torah Judaism’s Degel HaTorah faction have declared they will withhold their endorsement from either contender. Meanwhile, the three members of Agudat Yisrael have not yet made their positions public.
The Arab-dominated Joint List has also refrained from announcing a final decision, leaving the door open to either supporting Eisenkot or abstaining entirely from the process.
What Happens Next?
Despite the strong support for Netanyahu from his traditional allies, reports suggest that Gadi Eisenkot remains heavily favored to be entrusted with the formal mandate by President Herzog, given the number of political groups signaling their support for the Yashar leader.
The tension builds as the nation awaits the President's final decision. The newly elected 26th parliament is scheduled to hold its inaugural session on Tuesday, November 10, following the legislative elections held on October 27.