Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, is expected to task the ex-military chief Benny Gantz with forging a government.
This comes after the incumbent, Benjamin Netanyahu failed to do so in the wake of an inconclusive September election. Neither Gantz’s Blue and White party nor Netanyahu’s Likud party came out with a clear win, and few expect the opposition leader to form a coalition through deals with disparate political parties with ease.
Gantz will have 28 days to try, after which parliament can nominate a third candidate, although that appears extremely unlikely given the divided makeup of Israel’s legislature, the Knesset.
If no contender can end the political crisis, the country will face an unprecedented third election in one year. It would be the first time in more than a decade that anyone but Netanyahu would be given a chance to head the Israeli government.
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