Israel's parliament dissolved, elections to be held on October 27
What's the story
Israel's parliament, the Knesset, was dissolved early on Friday, paving the way for elections on October 27. The dissolution comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government passed a series of controversial bills in marathon sessions. The Knesset was originally due to go into summer recess on Friday, but will not reconvene before the upcoming elections.
Political turmoil
Opposition gaining ground against Netanyahu
The dissolution comes amid growing support for opposition parties in Israel.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and a popular centrist former military chief are leading the charge against Netanyahu.
The Knesset recently passed two bills that suspend the enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men in the military, a move seen as an attempt to bring ultra-Orthodox parties into Netanyahu's coalition government.
Legislative changes
Knesset passes bills related to Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plans
The Knesset also passed several bills related to Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plans. These include increased government control over broadcast media and a reduction in the role of the attorney general.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has opposed these changes, often becoming a target of Netanyahu and his supporters on the Israeli right.
Official statement
Completing a 4-year term is rare in Israeli politics
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana announced the dissolution, saying, "We are completing a four-year term... I thank you for the trust you placed in me."
Completing a full four-year term is rare in Israeli politics. The last time it happened without early elections was in 1988.
Despite no term limits and Netanyahu's record number of terms as prime minister, finishing a full term is an exception.
Election frequency
Israel held 5 elections between 2019 and 2022
Between 2019 and 2022, Israel held five elections, averaging one every 2.4 years.
This makes Israel the second-lowest-ranked country in the OECD for election intervals, indicating political instability.
The dissolution of the Knesset further underscores this trend as Netanyahu struggles to cling to power amid rising opposition support ahead of the October elections.