Israel’s President Asks Netanyahu To Form Next Government

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, received a mandate from Israel’s president to form a new government after an inconclusive election.

Under law, Netanyahu will have 28 days to do so, with a possible two-week extension before President Reuven Rivlin picks another candidate or asks parliament to choose one.

Israel’s March 23 election ended with neither a Netanyahu-led right-wing and religious bloc nor a prospective alliance of his opponents winning a parliamentary majority.

But Netanyahu received more endorsements than his challengers, leading to the president’s televised announcement giving him the nod.

He got recommendations of 52 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset while former Finance Minister Yair Lapid of the Yesh Atid party gleaned 45 endorsements and former Defence Minister Naftali Bennett of the far-right Yamina party got seven.

Netanyahu, in power consecutively since 2009, now has to break an unprecedented political stalemate and enlisting enough allies for a governing coalition.