It looks like the third time might be a charm for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite facing corruption charges and failure to form government two previous times, it appears he might have finally secured power to lead the Knesset.
However, as results are slow to come in, what comes after winning might be a different matter.
A Netanyahu victory would set the stage for a possible constitutional showdown between Israel’s political and judicial power centers over whether he is able to form a government while under indictment.
Since Mr. Netanyahu is facing felony prosecution, it is unclear whether the president, Reuven Rivlin, can legally invite him to form a government. The situation has no precedent and the Supreme Court, perhaps hoping a third election would render the question moot, avoided ruling on the subject in January.
But the court will almost certainly now be asked to intervene, forcing its unelected judges to choose between disqualifying an elected leader from taking power or allowing a leader who is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust to form a new government.
At a minimum, Mr. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving premier, could use the electoral result to bolster his hand in negotiating a plea bargain.
A new term for Mr. Netanyahu would also clear away domestic political impediments to annexing territory in the occupied West Bank, a move endorsed by the Trump administration and considered illegal by most of the world. The New York TImes - March 02
So, what comes after the election could be as stress filled and unpredictable as the campaign itself and if you are a journalist covering this ongoing story – the let our experts help.
Dr. Glen Duerr's research interests include comparative politics and international relations theory. Glen is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding this topic– simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
