Israel leads world for cabinet resignations within first 6 months

Israel holds the record for cabinet ministers resigning within six months or less from the date of their appointment, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) says in a new report that compares such activity in 20 countries. The turnover highlights “a failed governmental system,” the report finds.

The think tank found six Israeli ministerial resignations within the periods under review, compared to three in Poland and one apiece in Hungary, Denmark and Germany. The other countries used in the comparison had no resignations.

Israel also has “the highest turnover among ministers and their portfolios in the first half of a government,” said IDI researcher Ofer Kenig in the report.

The study was published Monday, a day after Shas leader Aryeh Deri resigned as economy minister — days less than six months since this government’s formation on May 14.

The report points to Deri’s resignation as symptomatic of systemic flaws in the functioning of Israel’s government.

The Shas leader quit in a move aimed at facilitating the passage of legislation on the Jewish state’s natural gas reserves, which Deri opposes. As a political carrot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expanded the purview of the remaining ministry Deri heads, which is now labeled the Ministry for the Development of the Periphery, Negev and Galilee.

The swift rotation of ministers, in particular at the start of a new government, signals a lack of responsibility among Israel’s political leaders, said IDI President Yohanan Plesner, a former MK who served in the Knesset for five years.

“It is acceptable to replace ministers in other democracies, but it is rare that these changes are made at the beginning of a term. This is because we expect a new government to work toward attaining the trust of its citizens and to provide stability to the country – at least the beginning of its tenure,” Plesner said. “We expect the members of the government who are granted important positions and portfolios to display responsibility for their new posts.”

He added: “There is no doubt that this rapid turnover is another symptom of a failed governmental system that must undergo several structural changes in order to create long-term stability.”

While the shifts cannot be the sole reason for the “failure of the Israeli government system, it is no coincidence,” the report said.

The changes in ministers’ identities “impact the stability of the governmental framework, its ability to direct policy and the minimal contiguity needed for the proper functioning of a governmental system,” it continued.

With Deri’s resignation, Netanyahu now serves as minister of foreign affairs, economy, communications and regional cooperation.

He previously nominally served as health minister, making Yaakov Litzman of United Torah Judaism the deputy minister with ministerial authorities. The compromise allowed Liztman, of the anti-Zionist UTJ, to serve in the government without signaling recognition of the Jewish state. After a High Court ruling rejected the unusual formulation, Litzman assumed a full ministerial role and now holds the post of full minister.