Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu has informed President Isaac Herzog that he has succeeded in forming a government with his ultra-Orthodox and far-right allies, the country’s presidency announced Wednesday.
Source: AFP
“I inform you that I have been able to form a government”, said a statement from Netanyahu’s office, released just half an hour before the deadline to reach a pact with other formations expired.
The presidency confirmed to AFP that Netanyahu, 73, had “called” Herzog to give him the news.
Likud, Netanyahu’s party, came first in the legislative elections from November 1, the fifth in three and a half years.
In these elections, the Likud obtained 32 seats in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), its ultra-Orthodox allies 18 and the Religious Zionism alliance 14, a record for the extreme right.
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After the elections, the president gave Netanyahu the mandate to form a government, for which reason he entered into discussions with his allies to distribute the ministerial portfolios.
The prime minister elect He had until December 11 to announce the new Executive, but requested a two-week extension, the maximum provided by law. President Herzog only granted him an additional term of ten days.
Analysts believe that the government will be the most right-wing in the country’s history, as it will include the two ultra-orthodox parties Unified Torah Judaism (UJT) and Shass (Sephardic), as well as the three far-right formations Religious Zionism, Fuerza Jewish and Noam.
