Israeli President Reuven Rivlin began a series of meetings yesterday with representatives of parties voted into parliament in last week’s elections ahead of choosing who will form the next government.
Mr Rivlin would appear to have little choice but to pick incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his party won the most seats in last Tuesday’s vote, leaving it best placed to form a coalition government.
Mr Netanyahu’s Likud, which won 36 seats, was the first to meet Mr Rivlin yesterday.
The consultations, broadcast live from Mr Rivlin’s residence, will take place over two days.
Mr Rivlin will assign the mission to the politician who wins the support of at least 61 MPs, constituting a majority of the Knesset’s 120 members.
Final results from the vote will be announced by the central elections committee tomorrow, and Mr Rivlin said he intended to summon the designated prime minister the same day.
The chosen politician then has 28 days to form a government, but can ask for an extension of up to 14 days.
Read the article in The Australian (AFP).