Last votes on ‘reasonableness’ bill to begin soon as 26-hour filibuster nears end
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
The opposition’s 26-hour long filibuster is set to end around noon, with opposition party heads Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz delivering final remarks before passing the baton to the coalition.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin is set to summarize the government’s position and Constitution Law, and Justice Committee chair MK Simcha Rothman will address the plenum, before moving to the first of two final votes on the bill to amend Basic Law: The Judiciary.
The last two votes — called the second and third readings — will begin in the early afternoon.
Before the second reading, lawmakers will vote on up to 140 reservations that the opposition filed. These reservations are expected to be rejected and not be attached to the final text.
After the second reading, the Knesset is expected to quickly proceed to the third reading, which is the decisive vote.
Opposition parties decided this morning to boycott the final vote, which may be expected in the late afternoon or early evening.
Alongside the legislative process, President Isaac Herzog has made a last-ditch effort to mediate between opposition and coalition figures and create a consensus on both the “reasonableness” bill and further legislation tied to the government’s plan to weaken judicial oversight.
Outside the parliament’s gates, dozens of anti-overhaul protesters remain from a raucous morning demonstration. At 6 p.m., pro-overhaul demonstrators are expected to arrive to express their support.
