Israel president starts talks on government formation

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 the general elections.

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

It is widely expected that Rivlin would hand over the task of forming the next coalition to sitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose 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 would 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.