Yamina MK Orbach heading to 3rd meeting today with Bennett ahead of likely defection

Yamina MK Nir Orbach is reportedly set on abandoning the current governing coalition, according to several media reports, and is slated to meet for the third time today with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett later this evening.

According to a report in Walla, Orbach is weighing voting to disband the Knesset in an initial vote and then attempting to form a new government within the current Knesset without holding a new national election. Such a move would prevent Foreign Minister Yair Lapid from becoming the interim prime minister during the election period.

But if a new government is unable to be formed, Orbach is expected to vote in a second and third reading to head to a new election, a move that would anoint Lapid as prime minister, as per the coalition agreements.

Orbach, who has been seen as the most likely new defector from the faltering government coalition, met with Bennett on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and already twice earlier today, without issuing any details or decisions from the meetings.