Eisenkot Pushes 58-Seat Minority Cabinet Plan

Israeli voters face a potential shift in how their new government operates, depending on which camp wins the upcoming election. Gadi Eisenkot, the candidate likely to lead the anti-Netanyahu bloc, has proposed a minority cabinet that could take office with as few as 58 seats. This structure would allow the new leadership to govern without the traditional 61-seat majority, provided it passes an initial confidence vote.

The proposal rests on a specific legal interpretation. Swearing in a government requires a simple majority in the confidence vote, not 61 affirmative votes. Eisenkot’s plan relies on this distinction. If the change-seeking parties win 58 or 59 seats, abstentions from the opposition could allow the government to be formed. The cabinet would then work to expand its support within the Knesset.

Two prominent figures in the bloc disagree with this approach. Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman both insist on a Zionist majority of 61 seats from the start. Liberman categorically rejects a minority government, even a transitional one. He stated that another election is preferable to a cabinet that does not meet his conditions. Bennett, who heads the Beyachad list with Yair Lapid, also refuses to rely on the votes or abstentions of Arab parties.

Eisenkot has not ruled out support from the Ra'am party, though no formula exists for that cooperation. Liberman has suggested bringing Likud MKs into a government without Netanyahu. He claimed some would be willing but named none. No public talks with those MKs are currently under way. A meeting between Eisenkot and Liberman this week ended with a joint call to raise voter turnout, but the leadership rivalry remains unresolved.

The bloc is also preparing to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. This change could happen before any coalition deal is struck. The goal is to give opponents control of the parliamentary agenda, even if Netanyahu remains as a caretaker. The speaker is elected in a public vote early in a new term. The bloc could draw on Arab party MKs to secure a majority behind an agreed candidate.

Several names have been raised for the speakership. These include Chili Tropper, Matan Kahana, and Elazar Stern from Eisenkot’s list. The Bennett-Lapid list has suggested Meirav Ben-Ari and Eitan Ginzburg. Efrat Rayten of the Democrats and attorney Oded Forer of Yisrael Beytenu are also in the mix. Liberman estimated that one-third of outgoing coalition MKs might vote against Ohana, though they would have to do so openly.

The parties are also coordinating on a legislative agenda. This includes a state commission of inquiry into October 7, changes to conscription law, and limits on the prime minister’s tenure. Liberman seeks a bar on people facing criminal charges serving as prime minister. No binding agreement exists on the order of these measures. The Bennett-Lapid government, which collapsed before completing its promised laws, serves as a cautionary precedent for the current effort.

Most polls show the anti-Netanyahu camp ahead of the outgoing coalition. However, the Zionist parties seeking change fall short of the 61 seats needed to govern under current agreements. Netanyahu’s bloc is also far from a majority in many surveys, though some polls give it enough seats. The electoral threshold could shift the distribution, and a small number of votes might decide whether Israel gets a new government or faces another round of turmoil.