Netanyahu fails to form government, Israel to hold new elections
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future entered a treacherous new period Wednesday after he narrowly failed to form a coalition government and Israel’s parliament voted to dissolve and call a new election.
The fresh vote will force Israel back into campaign mode just weeks after Netanyahu narrowly won a presidential mandate following a bruising contest with an upstart party. The scenario is unprecedented, with all previous Israeli parliamentary elections since the country’s founding in 1948 leading to the formation of a government.
“These are unnecessary and wasteful elections that no one needs and no one wants,” said a visibly angry Netanyahu after the vote. “The people,” Netanyahu said, already “had their say.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Even if Netanyahu manages to win another shot in elections now scheduled for September, as polls suggest he might, the misstep is a damaging blow after he failed to bridge the gap between the secular and religious factions in his coalition.
As he faced defeat on Wednesday just one seat short of a majority, Mr. Netanyahu successfully pressed parliament, known as the Knesset, for a new vote to prevent Israeli President Reuven Rivlin from inviting another lawmaker to form the government.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In pressing a vote, Mr. Netanyahu’s supporters likely won’t be able to pass a law giving him limited immunity from prosecution before a pretrial hearing in October on potential charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. That could expose Mr. Netanyahu to a corruption trial if he becomes prime minister again.