What happens when Israel's coalition government collapses?
Israel's proportional electoral system and fragmented political landscape make coalition collapse a regular occurrence. When a coalition falls, the Knesset has 28 days to form a new majority or elections are called automatically.
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- Scenario explainer
- Last Updated
- April 15, 2026
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- 2 linked
Scenario pages are procedural explainers linked back to relevant institutions, offices, and countries.
They are meant to explain formal political processes, not speculate on current events.
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Step-by-Step Process
This explainer walks through the 4 steps involved in this process, from start to finish.
Step 1
The coalition loses its parliamentary majority
Israeli governments are formed by coalitions of multiple parties because no single party has ever won a Knesset majority. Coalition collapse typically occurs when a junior partner withdraws, a vote of no confidence passes (requiring a simple majority of 61 of 120 members), or the budget fails to pass by March 31 of a given year — which automatically triggers new elections.
Step 2
The president gives parties 28 days to form an alternative
After the government falls, the president consults party leaders and can give a Knesset member (usually the leader with the best chance of forming a coalition) 28 days to attempt government formation. The president can extend this by 14 additional days. Any Knesset member — not just party leaders — can be given the mandate.