Yair Lapid Tells President Rivlin: I Can Form A Government

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid declared Wednesday night, just minutes before the end of his mandate for forming a government that he will indeed be able to form a new government.

Lapid announced the news to the president by telephone and by e-mail. Lapid told the president that the government would be formed from Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Yisrael Beitenu, Yemina, New Hope, Meretz and the Arab party Ra’am. He added that the government “would do all in its power to unite all sectors of Israeli society.”

Lapid also announced that the prime minister will be Yemina head Naftali Bennett and the alternate prime minister will be Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. In two years time a rotation is supposed to take place, where Lapid will be prime minister and Bennett will serve as alternate prime minister.

President Rivlin congratulated Lapid on his announcement and said: I congratulate you and the heads of parties for reaching an agreement to form a government. We await the Knesset’s meeting to authorize the government as required.”

Bennett, Lapid and Abbas signing joint agreement 

The declaration is significant but by no means it is not the end of the procedure for establishing a government. There is at least a week before the Knesset can vote on whether to authorize the government presented by Lapid and it is still unclear whether all the MKs expected to vote in favor will indeed authorize the government. Not all Yemina MKs have expressed support for the move and if a number will oppose the government it will not be able to come to fruition.