Public Policy in Democracies

How Government is Formed in Israel

Public policies and democracies are central to the establishment and running of a government. This is no different for Israel, which is one of the nations that has undergone multiple elections in the quest for stable administration. Netanyahu's leadership in Israel can be an ideal reference point in understanding how Government is formed in Israel. It also serves as a perfect scenario to support the quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson, "That government is best which governs least" (Monticello.org, n.d). Israel adopts a parliamentary democracy that integrates the executive, legislative and judicial structures. The institutions of governance are primarily the Presidency, the Government, the Knesset (parliament), the state controller, and the Judiciary (Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, n.d). The Government, which constitutes ministers, is the executive authority in Israel charged with running affairs of the Government internally and externally besides responding to security matters. The law requires the Government to serve for four years. However, this tenure can reduce when the prime minister resigns, gets impeached, dies, or when the Government replaces the prime minister with an acting member from the Knesset. In the latter scenario and amidst a vote of no confidence, the prime minister and the associated Government hold their position until the constitution of the new Government (Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, n.d).

The formation of this Government follows a series of consultations. The president presents a member of parliament intending to charge him with the responsibility of constituting the Government. It is essential to note that Israel's president is primarily ceremonial with minimal political roles. The chosen Knesset member is expected to share a list of ministers who will form the incoming Government. This should be complete within 28 days after being bestowed with the responsibility. The Knesset approves the ministers, after which they serve in different capacities, such as heading a ministry. The chosen ministers must be residents and citizens of Israel and not required to be Knesset members, although that is often the case. When the Government and the prime minister...…a minority after the resignation of a member demonstrates the challenges of minority rule. Consequently, the country is compelled to head into another election (Kershner, 2022).

Conclusion

Thus, the formation of Government in Israel is anchored on parliamentary democracy and electoral proportions that determine the power of Government. The ability of the Prime Minister to run executive powers is at the mercy of the members who dictate the legislation and hence the ability of the Government to run its functions with minimal disruptions. As noted earlier, the desire to bring down Netanyahu's Government has to do with the desire to have minimal government controls. However, this has become a challenge necessitating Israel to head into another election come November.