MKs gear up for all-night legislative battle over expanded ‘Norwegian law’

Coalition whip Ofir Katz tells his Likud party colleagues to prepare for a long night at the Knesset, as the opposition plans to fight the final two readings of a bill to expand the so-called “Norwegian law.”

If passed, the bill would update Basic Law: The Knesset by enabling more ministers and deputy ministers from large factions to resign, with their positions as MKs taken by members of their parties.

The bill will also create a mechanism for tiny spin-off factions to make use of the clause.

Likud has pushed the provision in order to increase its parliamentary power in the wake of appointing 17 ministers in its 32-MK faction. The new bill allows for large parties of 10 or more MKs to swap out a third of its lawmakers, which would enable Likud to appoint up to 11 new MKs.