Rivlin formally tasks Gantz with forming government

16 March 2020, 12:11 pm

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President Reuven Rivlin formally gives Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz the power to form a government.

Gantz will have 28 days to pull together a coalition of at least 61 votes in his favor or Rivlin can give the task to another politician, likely Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Fourth elections are not an option,” Rivlin says in his speech.

The decision was made after Gantz received the majority of recommendations for the position by the country’s political parties.

Rivlin notes the “greatness of the hour and the greatness of the challenges facing us,” which he says requires the formation of a government, after two previous rounds of elections failed to result in a majority coalition.