Eisenkot proposes 58-seat minority government as opposition bloc splits

Israeli opposition leaders are divided over whether to form a minority government after the next election, with Gadi Eisenkot advocating for a new path that his key allies reject. The dispute centers on the number of seats required to take office and the role of non-Zionist parties in supporting the cabinet.

Current polling data indicates the anti-Netanyahu camp leads the outgoing coalition bloc. However, the Zionist parties seeking change do not currently hold the 61 Knesset seats traditionally required to form a government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies also lack a clear majority in most surveys, though some polls show the right-wing bloc holding sufficient seats. The final seat distribution may hinge on the electoral threshold, meaning a small margin of votes could determine whether Israel secures a new government or faces further political instability.

Eisenkot, who intends to lead the bloc and serve as the main candidate for forming the next government, has outlined a specific alternative. He proposes that if the change-seeking parties win 58 or 59 seats, they should form a minority government. Under this plan, the cabinet would be sworn in after passing a confidence vote without permanent backing from 61 MKs. The government would then work to expand its parliamentary support base over time. Eisenkot rejects serving under Netanyahu, even in a rotation arrangement.

The legal basis for Eisenkot's plan relies on a distinction in Knesset procedure. Swearing in a government requires a majority in the confidence vote, not 61 affirmative votes. Therefore, abstentions from opposing parties could allow the government to take office. This differs from a constructive vote of no confidence, which requires 61 MKs to back an alternative government. Consequently, the minority scenario would allow the bloc to form a government but would not enable them to remove a sitting Netanyahu government by simple majority.

Avigdor Liberman opposes the minority government concept categorically. He insists on a Zionist majority from the start and rejects a unity government with Netanyahu. Liberman stated that another election would be preferable to a government that does not meet his conditions. He has suggested bringing Likud MKs into a government without Netanyahu, claiming some are willing, though he has not named specific members and no public talks are currently underway.

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, leaders of the Beyachad list, also demand a Zionist government and refuse to rely on the votes or abstentions of Arab parties. Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats, has not ruled out cooperating with the Ra'am party. A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week resulted in a joint call to increase voter turnout but did not resolve their disagreement on the government's structure. Leadership rivalry also persists, with Eisenkot seeking to head the largest party and Bennett viewing his prior experience as prime minister as a qualification for leading the bloc.

The opposition bloc is also moving to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before any coalition deal is finalized. Replacing the speaker would give Netanyahu's opponents control of the parliamentary agenda, even if he remains head of a caretaker government. The speaker is elected early in a new Knesset term via public vote. The bloc could secure a majority for an agreed candidate by drawing on MKs from Arab parties.

Several names have been raised for the speakership, including Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot's list; Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg from the Bennett-Lapid list; Efrat Rayten of the Democrats; and attorney Oded Forer of Yisrael Beytenu. No consensus candidate has been announced. Liberman estimated this week that up to one-third of outgoing coalition MKs might vote against Ohana, provided they do so openly.

The bloc aims to advance several legislative priorities, including a state commission of inquiry into October 7, changes to conscription law, limits on the prime minister's tenure, and the repeal of certain judicial changes enacted by the outgoing government. Liberman additionally seeks a bar on individuals facing criminal charges serving as prime minister. No binding agreement exists on the details or the order of these measures, though party teams have begun coordinating. Obstacles remain, as not every bloc member supports every judicial change, and a new speaker would not automatically provide a legislative majority. The collapse of the previous Bennett-Lapid government before it completed its promised laws remains a point of contention.