Israeli opposition leaders fight over minority government path

Israeli opposition parties are clashing over how to form the next government after upcoming elections.

Gadi Eisenkot wants to lead a minority cabinet if his bloc wins 58 or 59 seats. He believes the government can take office after passing a confidence vote without the standard 61-seat majority. The plan relies on abstentions rather than votes in favor to clear the legal threshold.

Avigdor Liberman rejects the minority option entirely. He insists on a Zionist majority from the start and refuses to accept a transitional government. Liberman stated that another election would be preferable to a cabinet that does not meet his conditions. He also proposed bringing in Likud members of Knesset without Netanyahu, though he has not named specific candidates or held public talks.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, who lead the Beyachad list, also demand a government that does not rely on Arab party votes or abstentions. Bennett views himself as a natural leader due to his experience as former prime minister. Eisenkot hopes to head the largest party in the bloc. A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week ended with a joint call to raise voter turnout but did not resolve their disagreement on the government structure.

The opposition is also preparing to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. The goal is to control the parliamentary agenda even if Netanyahu remains as head of a caretaker government. The speaker is elected early in a new term. The bloc could work with Arab party members to pass an agreed candidate. Names mentioned include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, Elazar Stern, Meirav Ben-Ari, Eitan Ginzburg, Efrat Rayten, and Oded Forer. Liberman estimated that up to one-third of outgoing coalition members might vote against Ohana.

Polls show the anti-Netanyahu camp ahead of the outgoing coalition in most surveys. The Zionist parties seeking change currently fall short of the 61 seats needed under their existing agreements. Some polls give the right-wing bloc a majority, while others do not. The final seat distribution will depend on the electoral threshold. A small number of votes could determine whether Israel gets a new government or faces further political instability. The bloc aims to form a government quickly if they win, using the minority route as a fallback if a full majority is not available.

The opposition also wants to advance several legislative changes. These include a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7. They also seek changes to conscription law and limits on the prime minister's tenure. Repealing some of the outgoing government's judicial changes is another priority. Liberman wants to bar people facing criminal charges from serving as prime minister. Party teams have begun coordinating on these issues. No binding agreement exists on the details or the order of these changes. Not every member supports every judicial reform. A new speaker does not guarantee a legislative majority. Laws targeting Netanyahu could face constitutional challenges. The collapse of the previous Bennett-Lapid government before it completed promised laws remains a concern for the current effort.