Netanyahu expected to demand mandate to form government if Likud is largest party, even if Eisenkot’s bloc is larger — report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to declare a decisive victory if his Likud party wins the highest number of seats tonight, even if the Eisenkot-led bloc has more seats overall, Channel 12 reports.

Accordingly, the report says the premier’s circle is already preparing the text of an announcement that he will deliver, declaring that he, not Eisenkot, should be entrusted with forming a coalition.

Eisenkot is expected to oppose this move, the report says, arguing that more people will recommend him as prime minister over Netanyahu, as he has the bigger bloc, even if he doesn’t have the largest party.

As such, sources tell Channel 12 that if Eisenkot’s bloc is larger, he will declare that he should be given the mandate to form a government, not Netanyahu.

The mandate to form a government is granted by President Isaac Herzog at his discretion.

He is not required to task the head of the largest party, or even the largest bloc, with forming a government, but rather, after hearing the recommendations of the parties that have won seats, he is to hand the mandate to whoever he believes has the best prospect of building a governing coalition.