So-called Norwegian Law to be brought for final votes

The Likud and Blue and White parties have agreed to advance a bill allowing ministers to give up their positions as Knesset members in order to enable a different member of their party slate to take their spot in parliament.

The so-called Norwegian Law will be brought to its second and third readings today,  Hebrew reports say. If it clears the plenary votes, it will become law.

Netanyahu had tried to delay the vote — sought by Blue and White — for leverage, after seeking to make a retroactive change to the unity coalition deal between Likud and Benny Gantz’s party.

A source in Likud tells the Kan public broadcaster that Gantz has agreed to make the change sought by Netanyahu.

“Blue and White caved. We will amend the agreement and ensure the continued term of the alternate prime minister in a year and a half,” the source says.

The coalition deal agreed on by the parties stipulates that if the Knesset is dissolved and elections are called between November 2020 and November 2021 — after a six-month “emergency period” ends but before Gantz becomes prime minister as part of the power-sharing deal — Gantz would automatically become the transitional prime minister instead of Netanyahu.

But Netanyahu is now reportedly demanding that the deal be changed so that he will remain prime minister if elections are called during that time.

The deal says that if the High Court strikes down legislation passed as part of the coalition deal during the emergency period, Netanyahu will be the transitional leader. However, the premier now fears that the court could make such a decision after November, according to Channel 12.

Netanyahu was also demanding that the coalition deal be changed so that the government would serve for a full four-year term instead of the current three, fearing that clause would hand the court grounds to annul the deal.

Netanyahu and Gantz met earlier today on the issue.