President praises new coalition, Knesset Speaker expresses concern

With just 26 seats, opposition will find it hard to function effectively, warns Reuven Rivlin

By Shira Rubin and Michal Shmulovich 8 May 2012, 8:11 pm
Shaul Mofaz speaking in the Knesset as Rueven Rivlin looks on Monday (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin expressed his fear Tuesday that the new Likud-Kadima unity government, set to include 94 Knesset members, may within weeks prove unmanageable.

He also said the opposition, a mere 26 members, would find it very hard to function effectively. “The new political reality creates complex parliamentary problems that relate to the relationship between the coalition and the opposition,” Rivlin (Likud) said.

President Shimon Peres, by contrast, made a call to Shaul Mofaz on Tuesday evening to tell him, “You two have done a big thing.”

Former Mossad head Meir Dagan congratulated Mofaz on the new coalition, saying that he is a “responsible leader,” and predicted that the partnership would have a huge impact on the lives of Israelis..

Rivlin said that Labor had officially nominated its leader Shelly Yachimovich for opposition leader. The new opposition leader would be formally announced at a Knesset meeting Wednesday, he said.

Mofaz, meanwhile, will be sworn in as deputy prime minister after the Knesset holds a meeting to discuss the coalition on Wednesday afternoon.

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