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Israel president starts talks to form coalition gov't

Xinhua, March 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday began meetings with heads of political parties to decide whom he would assign to form a coalition to establish a new government, following Tuesday's elections.

At the beginning of the two-day talks, the president is meeting with representatives of the Likud, the Zionist Union, the Joint (Arab) List, the Jewish Home and the ultra-orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism.

On Monday, he will meet with Yesh Atid (There is a Future), Kulanu (All of Us), Israel Beytenu (Israel is Our Home) and Meretz chiefs.

It is widely expected that Rivlin will hand over the task of forming the next coalition to incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who's Likud Party received 30 (out of 120) seats in the upcoming parliament, six more than the center-left Zionist Union party.

Expecting the support of the right-wing parties, the ultra-Orthodox parties and the support of the center Kulanu party, Netanyahu is expected to get the recommendations of 67 members of parliament.

After the talks end, Netanyahu and his representatives will start negotiating with the parties interested in joining the coalition on the portfolios they will receive. He will have 28 days to establish a government and may be given a two-week extension by the president.

Israeli media reported that several parties and politicians have already made demands regarding the portfolios in which they are interested.

The Kulanu party, headed by former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon, seeks to receive the post of the Finance Minister or the Housing Minister and to have a member of his party head the important Finance Committee in the Knesset (parliament).

The ultra-orthodox United Torah Judaism is also interested to head the important committee, which allocates budgets, the NRG website reported.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Israel Beytenu chief and outgoing Foreign Minister Avgidor Lieberman will demand the defense portfolio, whereas Channel 2 news reported on Friday Netanyahu prefers to keep the task with current minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud). There were other reports suggesting that Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) wants the defense portfolio for himself.

Friday's report charged Netanyahu wishes to keep Bennett as economy minister, Lieberman as Foreign Minister and Ya'alon as Defense Minister. Enditem