Herzog tells leaders to form government after 26th Knesset election

Israeli voters cast ballots on Wednesday to select members of the 26th Knesset. President Isaac Herzog addressed political leaders the following day, urging them to approach coalition talks with flexibility. He warned that the country must take every possible step to prevent a fourth election in three years.

Herzog spoke during consultations scheduled at the President's Residence. "One thing must be understood, and I said this even before the elections: We must do everything, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections," he stated. He added that he expects all parties arriving for talks to bring open minds to the process.

The presidential office has historically intervened during periods of political gridlock. Several past presidents have encouraged leaders to consider unity coalitions to break deadlocks. These efforts often involved specific structural proposals to facilitate governance.

In 2019, President Reuven Rivlin lobbied Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz after the 22nd Knesset election. Rivlin proposed an equal government structure. This plan included specific changes to arrangements regarding incapacity and the role of the acting prime minister.

A similar precedent exists from 1984. Chaim Herzog, the sixth president and father of the current president, pushed for a unity government between the Alignment party and Likud. He described his actions as an attempt to prevent a dangerous split.

Chaim Herzog granted Shimon Peres additional time to form a government when negotiations stalled. He later noted that he established a small negotiating team with representatives from Likud and Labor. Days after this intervention, a unity government led by Peres and Yitzhak Shamir was presented based on a rotation agreement.