A week after Israel’s legislative elections, President Reuven Rivlin has chosen Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a first attempt at forming a government, but a path to a majority coalition remains difficult.
The president chose the current prime minister over his main rival, Benny Gantz, whose Blue and White party came in first in the Sept. 17 elections with 33 seats to the Likud's 32. Rivlin's decision comes after several meetings organized by the president aimed at getting the two to form a unity government failed. The negotiations reached a deadlock after Netanyahu insisted that all his partners from the right and religious parties be included. This is the second time Israel has held legislative elections in five months; last week's election was set after Netanyhu failed to assemble a majority coalition following the April poll.
