Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to officially inform President Issac Herzog by midnight Wednesday that he has succeeded in ensuring his majority coalition.
Protocol dictates that the announcement must also be made to the Knesset. Netanyahu will then have one week to present his government to a parliamentary vote, and will not be afforded any further extension to do so.
The members of the incoming coalition were first informed to prepare for a vote and swearing in ceremony for the new government on December 28, 2022, but Netanyahu's Likud then postponed the event by one day. The time will be determined once the Knesset is officially informed.
Coalition talks are still ongoing and mostly revolve around the positions that need to to assigned to Likud MKs. After criticism by some that the party leader has given most coveted ministerial posts to partners in the incoming government, Netanyahu is reportedly determined to appoint his most powerful critics to the remaining senior positions available in order to prevent mutiny in the ranks.
Likud is expected to clinch the ministries of defense, foreign affairs and transportation, as as the position of the Speaker of the Knesset.
The Defense Ministry will likely go to Ret. Gen. Yoav Galant, despite some of the responsibilities over the West Bank being promised to the Religious Zionist Party.
Veteran Likud lawmaker Yariv Levin will be asked to assume the position of justice minister, and be tasked with making the controversial changes to the judicial system, including increasing political authority over the courts.
Netanyahu must also decide who to appoint as foreign minister, with former Israeli Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer, former Public Security Minister Amir Ohana and former Finance Minister Israel Katz all vying for the position.