Yamina party members recommended to President Reuven Rivlin on Monday that its chairman Naftali Bennett form the next government.

“Bennett has the highest chances to form a government,” MK Ayelet Shaked said. “The prime minister of Israel needs to be right-wing.”

Rivlin’s response indicated his skepticism about Bennett’s chances in forming a coalition. “Convince me how Bennett has the best chance [to form a government] when he has only seven mandates?”

Shaked refused to answer who Yamina would recommend as its second choice, saying that if the first candidate tasked with forming a government fails to do so after 28 days, Yamina will nominate Bennett again for prime minister.

Rivlin responded that it’s possible that he’ll transfer the mandate [to form a government] to the Knesset if the first candidate fails.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)