The vote to elect the speaker of the Knesset will take place next Monday and in the Likud there are six names that have been mentioned in recent weeks as possible candidates for the coveted position: Yariv Levin, Ofir Akunis, Yoav Kish, Dodi Amsalem, Amir Ohana and Danny Danon.
Likud: All factions of the bloc submitted the signatures to replace the speaker of the Knesset
In Likud, they estimate that Amsalem has the highest chances of being elected to the position, in light of the sympathy that is gained for him in the party and due to the fact that he is supported by the son of Prime Minister-designate Yair Netanyahu, who also supports the appointment of Amir Ohana to the position of Foreign Minister.
Levin is still considered a possible candidate for the position of Speaker of the Knesset, even though Netanyahu and his entourage see him as the next Minister of Justice. Kish has become very close to Netanyahu in the past year, has successfully carried out all kinds of procedures and, according to estimates, is destined for the position of Minister of Communications.
Akunis is also mentioned as a candidate for the position of Minister of Communications, but he also stated that he wants to be appointed to the position of Speaker of the Knesset. According to estimates, Danon will receive an offer for a significant ministerial portfolio.
From Netanyahu’s point of view, the timetable for the appointment of the Speaker of the Knesset: by the end of the day, the division of roles among the partners is expected to be completed.
Tomorrow Netanyahu will begin the round of distribution of cases within the Likud when first of all he will make a decision regarding the candidate for the foreign case.
He will later decide who is the candidate on his behalf for the position of Speaker of the Knesset and then the secret ballot will be held in the Likud faction.
After the election of the candidate for the position of Speaker of the Knesset, he will distribute the remaining positions within the Likud, in order to avoid a situation where a party member who is not satisfied with the offer he received will decide to take revenge by voting for the candidate for the position of Speaker of the Knesset.
Yesterday the members of the right-wing bloc submitted the 64 signatures of the members of the future coalition demanding to replace the current speaker of the Knesset Miki Levy, who stated that the vote to elect the speaker of the Knesset will take place as stated on the following Monday.
“A short time ago, I received an unusual request from 64 members of the Knesset to put on the agenda a vote to elect a chairman for the 25th Knesset. Therefore, I determined that on Monday 12/12 at 16:00 with the opening of the Knesset plenum, the vote will take place,” Levy said.
However, he said: “Unfortunately, according to the publications in the media, the unusual request to elect the speaker of the Knesset outside of the swearing-in of the government, was intended to promote legislation that would allow people who were convicted and sentenced to probation to serve as ministers.”
“Despite the enormous pain knowing that this is the intention of the forming coalition, I will act in a stately manner and respect the voter’s will, and the plenum will be convened according to the law and the High Court ruling on the matter,” he added.