Israel’s right-wing Yamina party ready to form government together with centrist Yesh Atid

Tel Aviv: The chairman of the Israeli right-wing Yamina party, Naftali Bennett, on Sunday announced his intention to work for the formation of the government with Yair Lapid, the leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave Lapid a mandate to form a coalition government following the results of the Knesset elections. The president noted that it can be either a government that Lapid will lead as the prime minister or a government headed by another lawmaker with Lapid serving as an alternative prime minister.
“I intend to act with all my might to establish a government of national unity together with Yair Lapid,” Benet said in a statement broadcast by Israeli TV channels.
The most recent parliamentary elections in Israel were won by Benjamin Netanyahu’s party, Likud, that garnered 30 out of 120 seats. In early May, Netanyahu’s mandate to form a government expired, as the task was given to him by Rivlin in early April, while the country’s law gives 28 days to hold coalition-building negotiations.
According to the rules, the party that wins the most votes has to win the support of at least 61 lawmakers of 120. If they don’t succeed in doing so, the 24th convocation may be dissolved as well, while a new election may be scheduled for fall.
The failure to form a sustainable government has led to four parliamentary elections in the past two years. (Sputnik)

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