Justice Minister Gideon Saar said this morning (Thursday) during Democracy Day at Reichman University that he plans to limit the tenure of local authority heads, following a bill he is promoting to limit the prime minister’s term.
Saar said these things in a conversation with Dr. Dana Wolf, head of the Law and Defense Division at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at Reichman University on Democracy Day, “Time to shape the future of tomorrow.” Saar also referred to the democratic regime and said: Extremists. I got into politics because of the national issue and long-term security and the struggle for the existence of the state. I did not assume that the issue of democratic foundations would change, I do not think I can say these things today. The democratic regime today is not self-evident. “If there was a different parliamentary majority, we would see laws that we did not think could be enacted.”
Asked whether the way in which elected officials express themselves towards the judiciary can affect public confidence, Saar replied that “I have an argument with Supreme Court rulings, but when there were calls not to hold a court ruling – that’s the kind of thing that bothered me the most. I did not believe there is an option not to respect a court ruling. Judicial activism is a very bad patent. Judicial activism becomes an appellate court against the decision of the Knesset or the government. The basis of the problem is that we do not have a basic law, the rules of the game are not agreed A clash between the authorities that erodes public trust. “
Asked why the Basic Law is stuck, Saar replied that “there are disagreements on many things and especially around the overcoming clause, and if so by what majority. There is a broader debate. There are big gaps between ministers on how a Basic Law should be.” Regarding the rights of criminal defendants, Saar said that “critics have never enacted a basic law or even an ordinary law. I will not infringe on the powers that be in legislation. There can be criticism but I have to balance the different values. There is nothing in the constitutional world that is absolute. “It is good and it is a relatively broad law. This is not the final wording, but we worked on the basis of thorough work and brought a good and comprehensive law.”
- State Witness Pilber opened his mouth on the podium: the dramatic testimony of Shlomo Pilber
Referring to the issue of restriction of tenure, Saar said that “nothing can cause more corruption than non-restriction of tenure. If you constantly ask how I will choose again and again it leads to concentration of power, sabotage and corruption. The claim itself is a false claim. Tenure, but even during the direct election period there was a parliamentary regime and it was possible to overthrow the PM and therefore the statement that there is no tenure restriction is incorrect. I also plan to limit the tenure of local authority heads. The one who concentrates the power at the head of the executive branch both at the national level and at the local level. The public supports this and if we succeed in passing it on in the future, it will be very difficult to cancel it. “
Asked whether the law should not be repealed by Deputy Prime Minister Saar replied that “I do not like the law. It was created out of need and political constraint, was born as a solution to interrupt the election campaign sequence. Existence of the executive branch. “