Israeli parliament votes on advance bill to dissolve the Knesset, paving the way for early elections
Israeli lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to advance a bill to dissolve the Knesset, a move that could pave the way for early elections and deepen political uncertainty for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.In the initial reading, 110 out of 120 members of Parliament supported the motion, with no votes against it and the remainder abstained. The bill, introduced by the ruling coalition, has now moved to the committee stage before going through three more readings needed for final approval.If ultimately passed, the dissolution would automatically trigger elections within 90 days, potentially pushing voting to October 27.The development comes amid growing tensions within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, particularly over disputes with ultra-Orthodox parties. They have accused the prime minister of failing to meet commitments to pass a law granting military service exemptions to their communities, a long-standing political flashpoint in Israel.Coalition tensions have opened the door to opposition parties who are pushing for early elections and trying to capitalize on Netanyahu’s declining political standing in opinion polls. Israeli political columnist Miriam Shermer said, “The dissolution of the Knesset, approved in preliminary reading this Wednesday, could still be suspended if the exemption (for ultra-Orthodox students) is already passed.” He said the situation could still change depending on security developments or legislative deals, as cited by AFP.On Wednesday, coalition chairman Ofir Katz said: “This coalition has fulfilled its days.”Political analysts say the timing of the move could shape the election narrative, with some suggesting that Netanyahu may prefer to hold early elections to avoid the anniversary of the October 7 attacks dominating the election campaign.“The election campaign has begun,” opposition leaders have said, as rival factions begin setting the stage for another closely contested and fractured vote with so far no clear path to a stable majority.
