Israel's Peres Formally Starts Coalition-Building Process
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Wednesday formally began a period of consultation with the parliamentary factions to select the MP most able to put together the country's next ruling coalition.
Pundits are unanimous that most of the parties will recommend that Peres task Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with forming the next coalition government in a decision likely to be announced within the next 48 hours.
"The responsibility the law places on me is very heavy, and I intend to uphold it while adhering to the law... to enable the formation of a government that will reflect the people's desire, as soon as possible," he said upon receiving the official election results at his Jerusalem residence.
Informal talks have been under way since the January 22 election, which saw 12 political parties elected to serve in the country's 19th Knesset.
But the process can only begin in earnest after Peres formally announces his choice after talks with the parties, which are to begin later on Wednesday when he meets representatives of Netanyahu's rightwing Likud-Beitenu list, which won 31 of the Knesset's 120 seats.
He will then meet the new centrist Yesh Atid headed by former TV anchorman Yair Lapid, which pulled off a shock win of 19 seats, becoming the second largest party in parliament.
On Thursday, Peres will consult with the remaining 10 parties to see who they recommend in a process due to end in the late afternoon.
An announcement will be made some time before the start of the Jewish sabbath at sundown on Friday.
The nominee then has 28 days to put together a coalition.
Although the person who gets first shot at forming a coalition of at least 61 MPs is generally the leader of the party that wins the most votes, it is not mandatory with the president able to entrust the task to the person he thinks has the best shot at cobbling together a union.
Source: Agence France Presse
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