Tag Archives: Knesset

An alternative to the current process used in Israel.

• Swear in the new members of the Knesset.
• Elect the Speaker.
• The Speaker ask the Knesset to nominate individuals to be called upon to form a government. A nominee must have at least 6 members endorsing them (5%).
• If there is more then four nominees then the four with the most endorsements are chosen.
• Obviously before the Knesset meets there will be intensive negotiations behind the scenes to form a majority coalition.
• Each nominee then forms a council-designate of say 14-20 members that would form the government should it have the confidence of the Knesset.
• The Knesset then votes on the question, “which of these councils-designate has the confidence of the Knesset to form the government of Israel in this Knesset.
• If no council gets a majority then a second vote is held with only the top two from the first vote on it.
• The council with the majority becomes the Council of Ministers and the runner up council becomes the Council of Opposition.
• The Knesset has a fixed term and set election day. You can only have early elections by a motion of dissolution passing the Knesset by 90 votes (75%).
• There are no non confidence motions. The government serves for the duration of the Knesset unless the Knesset passes a motion of dissolution or a motion of dismissal against the government and replaces it with another.
• Any minister can be removed by a motion of dismissal passed by a 2/3 majority vote with quorum, including the PM.
• The Council of Ministers can be replaced by a motion of dismissal passed by an absolute 2/3 majority (80). This motion must have a nominee for Prime Minister who is called upon to form a new government if the motion of dismissal against the government gets the 80 votes. No member of the defeated government can be included in this new government.

Greater stability since the Knesset establishes confidence in a government right at the start of a new Knesset and the government serves for the duration of that Knesset which has a fixed term and election day. Only by super majorities can this be changed. An absolute 2/3 majority to replace the current government with a new one that then serves till the next election or a 3/4 majority vote that actually does dissolve the Knesset and triggers new elections.