JERUSALEM
The Israeli parliament Wednesday is set to choose the country’s next president, a largely figurehead position that is meant to serve as the nation’s moral compass and promote unity.
The election will be conducted at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and the 120 lawmakers will cast their votes anonymously.
Two candidates are running Isaac Herzog, a veteran politician and scion of a prominent Israeli family, and Miriam Peretz, an educator who is seen as a down-to-earth outsider.
Herzog, 60, is a former head of Israel’s Labor Party and opposition leader who unsuccessfully ran against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the 2013 parliamentary elections.
Former minister, Labor leader and son of previous president Yitzhak Herzog seen as favorite, while settler Miriam Peretz - who lost saw two sons fall during military service - would be Israel's first woman president
The Israeli parliament chose veteran politician Isaac Herzog to be the country's next president on Wednesday, setting him up to replace President Reuven Rivlin next month.