Term of the Week: Coalition Building
On November 1, Israelis across the country went to the polls for the fifth time in less than four years. Unlike in the United States, however, the real drama began after the votes were tallied.
Here’s why.
Coalition building is the process that every Israeli Prime Minister undertakes to gain control of the Knesset. After the election, in order for a party to come to power it must control 61—over 50%—of 120 total seats. No single party has ever managed this, so larger parties must combine forces with smaller ones to govern as a coalition.
Now, after receiving 64 parliamentary recommendations, former PM Benjamin Netanyahu has received this task.
How does it happen?
These coalitions are formed through negotiation, and often leaders of smaller parties will back the leader of a larger party to become Prime Minister in order to be given leadership positions. Smaller parties who sit in the governing coalition often gain outsized influence. In return, the larger party gets to have the Prime Ministership and set the agenda for as long as it remains in power.
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Why this matters now
Netanyahu has received the mandate to form the next Israeli government. In the weeks ahead, he and fellow leaders of right-wing parties will negotiate. Many experts believed he would forge an agreement easily; however, with far-right politicians such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich standing firm on contentious points, that has not been the case thus far. From the Jerusalem Post:
At first, the negotiations this time around, which already began last week before the mandate was formally given, seemed to be a walk in the park. Netanyahu has three other parties that fully support him, are all right-wing, and all took part in his previous coalitions. But the talks quickly began to hit hurdles, stalled and now seem to be moving further away with every passing day.
If Netanyahu is unable to build a coalition of 61-plus, Israel will almost certainly head back to elections, with interim PM Yair Lapid remaining in that role until the next round is completed.
Dig deeper
Want to learn more about the stakes at play? Listen to the election episode of our podcast, EveryDay Voices, featuring Israeli policy expert Michael Koplow.