Yashar urges Herzog to give Eisenkot Israel's government mandate
Gadi Eisenkot received 67 recommendations from lawmakers, against 46 for Benjamin Netanyahu, the highest tally for any candidate since 2015.
Israel's Yashar party on Thursday urged President Isaac Herzog to give its chairman, Gadi Eisenkot, the mandate to form the next government, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Eisenkot received 67 recommendations from parliamentary factions, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received 46, the party said.
The party described Eisenkot's total as the highest number of recommendations any candidate has received for forming a government since 2015.
Yashar argued that the figures show voters want change and have little confidence in Netanyahu, whom it described as leading a government with only 46 seats.
The party asked Herzog to make the assignment quickly so Eisenkot could form what it called a national emergency government.
After finishing consultations with all Knesset factions, Herzog said the results appeared clear, but he warned that the ability to form a government remains uncertain because the blocs and parties within them can veto one another.
Herzog said he will hold further one-on-one talks with party leaders to determine who can build a government and plans to assign the mandate on Sunday.
Israel held parliamentary elections on Oct. 27, and neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition secured an outright majority.
Under Israeli law, the president gives the task of forming a government to a lawmaker after consulting parliamentary factions and weighing who can win majority support in the Knesset.
