From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Knesset schedules key budget vote for Wednesday
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Knesset is set to bring the Economic Arrangements Bill to a vote in the plenum this Wednesday, a key step in passing the 2025 state budget.
The Arrangements Law — which determines how funds will be disbursed— is usually the final precursor for passing the budget. If the coalition does not pass the budget by March 31, the Knesset will automatically be dissolved — by law — and new elections called.
According to Hebrew-language media reports, the advancement of the arrangements bill will lead to a delay in voting on legislation aimed at overhauling the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee — which makes all judicial appointments, especially over appointments to the Supreme Court.
Initially, the judicial appointments bill — part of the government’s controversial judicial overhaul — was slated for a vote on Wednesday, following intensive meetings of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee in which lawmakers are expected to wade through tens of thousands of objections filed by the opposition.
The Times of Israel Community.