The bill that might bring an end to Bibi's rule
The Israeli opposition is united behind a Knesset bill that seeks to limit any incumbent prime minister to only two terms.
Scheduled to be submitted to the Knesset shortly after returning from its spring recess in May, the proposed bill to limit the premiership to two terms makes a lot of sense. The problem, however, is that given the current circumstances, the bill underscores the opposition’s failure in recent years to come up with an alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a general election. Although the proposed bill clearly states that it is not personal and does not prevent a certain party from remaining in power for dozens of years — should this be the people’s choice — it is abundantly clear that it was tailored for one person — to wit, Benjamin Netanyahu.
On April 16, Israel’s Channel 2 news revealed that the proposed bill by Merav Michaeli, chair of the Zionist Camp’s faction, to limit the premiership to two terms would be re-entertained after having previously failed.
This time around, according to that report, nearly all the leaders of the opposition parties joined forces, including Isaac Herzog, leader of the Zionist Camp; Yair Lapid, chairman of Yesh Atid; and even the two archrivals Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beitenu, and Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List representing the Arab electorate. Undoubtedly, this is an impressive tour de force on the opposition’s part.
The text explaining the law states, “It's very important in a democratic system to see changes in leadership in order to prevent degeneration and detachment. Democracy is not a monarchy, and it is necessary to avoid a government headed by the same person for years on end.” It further states, “Limiting the term would lead to government stability, because the prime minister’s incentive is to keep his coalition intact.”
