Netanyahu Cannot Form Government by Deadline; Opposition to Receive Mandate
AFP/Menahem KAHANA
4 May 2021
Israeli Prime Minsiter Benjamin Netanyahu failed to put together a governing coalition by the May 4 deadline, returning the mandate to President Reuven Rivlin, who will now likely grant the opposition a chance to form an alternative government.
Netanyahu’s Likud Party was, by far, the largest among all Israeli political parties in the March elections. But he could not cobble together enough parties to form a 61-seat majority needed to govern. No Israeli political party has ever won outright.
Shortly before midnight, Netanyahu informed Beit HaNasi that he was unable to form a government and returned the mandate to the president.