The Knesset’s winter session will get underway on Monday but it may be a shortened version, curtailed as the nation prepares for elections. While 17 February is the date mentioned for elections, Election Day may occur towards the end or February or even the beginning of March depending on events.

After Livni informed the president that she cannot establish a government, calling for elections, there is a three-day period during which the president may decide what step to take. It appears Mr. Peres will confer with the leaders of other factions to determine if they can establish a coalition.

After that time, Peres may give the mandate for forming a government to another MK or he may decree elections are to be held, which will launch a three-week period during which any MK may attempt to establish a coalition of a minimum of 61 members and present that coalition to the president. Should this fail, the president announces elections, which are to be held on the last Tuesday of the 90-day period, 17 February according to this formula.

A scheduled no-confidence motion for the opening week of the winter session has been retracted since it was decided it is pointless to hold a no-confidence motion against a transition government.

There are concerns of a turbulent month ahead during which legislative anarchy may preside in the Knesset since the ruling coalition will be lacking a majority to maintain order.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)