Netanyahu’s coalition formally presented to Knesset, starting weeklong ticking clock

Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin formally informs the Knesset plenum that Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his ability to form Israel’s next government.

By law, Netanyahu now has seven days before he must swear in his six-party coalition, which includes three far-right parties and two ultra-Orthodox parties in addition to his right-wing Likud.

Levin says that a hearing and vote on the incoming government is slated for Thursday morning, but the latest it can be held is Monday, January 2.

Netanyahu still has to overcome some key stumbling blocks before swearing in the government, including formalizing coalition agreements with almost all of his partners, dividing jobs among his Likud party members, and finalizing two key pieces of legislation demanded by coalition partners as preconditions.