How Government Is Formed in Israel: Parliamentary Democracy
This paper examines how the government of Israel is formed within its parliamentary democratic system. It outlines the key institutions of Israeli governance — the Presidency, the Knesset, the Government, the State Controller, and the Judiciary — and traces the procedural steps from presidential nomination to ministerial approval. Using the political careers of Benjamin Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett, and Yair Lapid as illustrative cases, the paper explains how proportional electoral representation makes coalition governments both necessary and unstable. It compares Israel's system with those of France, Britain, and the United States, ultimately recommending consideration of a two-party model to reduce electoral instability. The paper also briefly addresses minority government and its practical challenges in the Israeli context.
- Introduction: Public Policy and Israeli Democracy: Overview of Israel's parliamentary institutions and governance structure
- How the Israeli Government Is Formed: Step-by-step process from presidential nomination to ministerial approval
- Coalition Politics and Electoral Instability: Bennett coalition collapse and Netanyahu's return opportunity
- Interests Driving Government Formation: Party interests and opposition to Netanyahu fueling coalitions
- Comparison with French, British, and US Systems: Contrasting Israeli system with three other democracies
- Minority Government and Its Challenges: Definition and limitations of minority government in Israel
- Conclusion: Parliamentary democracy and coalition instability summarized
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds abstract concepts in concrete, timely examples — Bennett's coalition collapse and Netanyahu's repeated electoral battles give the procedural discussion real-world weight.
- The comparative section efficiently contrasts Israel's system with three distinct models (France, Britain, and the US), demonstrating breadth of analysis within a compact essay format.
- The paper moves logically from structure (how government is formed) to dynamics (why governments fall) to recommendation, giving the argument a clear arc.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses comparative institutional analysis — laying out the formal rules of Israeli government formation and then testing those rules against real political events. By citing news sources alongside academic and official government sources, the student shows how theoretical frameworks apply to current events, a useful technique in political science essays at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with an introduction situating Israeli governance within public policy theory. It then explains the formal mechanics of government formation, followed by an analysis of coalition politics and the interests driving coalition behavior. A comparative section examines France, Britain, and the US. The paper closes with a brief treatment of minority government, a policy recommendation favoring the US two-party model, and a short conclusion tying threads together.
Introduction: Public Policy and Israeli Democracy
Public policies and democracies are central to the establishment and operation 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 serves as an ideal reference point for understanding how government is formed there. It also supports the quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson: "That government is best which governs least" (Monticello.org, n.d.).
Israel adopts a parliamentary democracy that integrates executive, legislative, and judicial structures. The principal institutions of governance are 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 comprises ministers, is the executive authority in Israel. It is charged with running the country's affairs internally and externally, as well as responding to security matters. The law requires the Government to serve for four years. However, this tenure can be shortened when the prime minister resigns, is impeached, or dies, or when the Government replaces the prime minister with an acting member from the Knesset. In the latter scenario — and amid a vote of no confidence — the prime minister and the associated Government hold their positions until a new government is constituted (Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, n.d.).
References
Al Jazeera. (2022, June 21). On the way out: Why is Israel's government about to fall? Explainer News | Al Jazeera. Retrieved July 13, 2022, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/21/on-the-way-out-why-is-israels-government-about-to-fall
Cheibub, J. A., Martin, S., & Rasch, B. E. (2019). Investiture rules and formation of minority governments in European parliamentary democracies. Party Politics, 27(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068819850447
Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles. (n.d.). Israeli democracy & elections. Embassies.gov.il. Retrieved July 13, 2022, from
European Committee of the Regions. (n.d.). Division of powers. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://portal.cor.europa.eu/divisionpowers/Pages/default.aspx
Kershner, I. (2022, June 21). Why does Israel have so many elections? The New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/article/israel-government-elections.html
Liebermann, O. (2021, June 13). Israel's new prime minister is sworn in, ending Netanyahu's 12-year grip on power. CNN. Retrieved April 16, 2022, from https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/13/middleeast/israel-knesset-vote-prime-minister-intl/index.html
Monticello.org. (n.d.). That government is best which governs least (spurious quotation). Monticello. Retrieved July 13, 2022, from https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/government-best-which-governs-least-spurious-quotation
Taucar, C. E. (2014). The British system of government and its historical development. McGill-Queen's University Press.
USAGov. (n.d.). Presidential election process. USAGov. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.usa.gov/election
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.