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Photo: Motti Kimchi
Avi Gabbay
Photo: Motti Kimchi

Labor amends its constitution, hands more power to Chairman Gabay

Labor party approves new leader Gabbay's amendments to its constitution; Gabbay will be given power to appoint MKs, select which MKs to serve as committee heads and on which committees, and, if elected, pick the ministers of his government without party's approval.

The Labor Party convention Thursday approved the new party constitution amendments proposed by newly elected party chairman Avi Gabbay, which grant him more power, handing him the reins over essential matters currently controlled by different party officials.

 

 

According to the changes, Gabbay would personally appoint four members of the party’s first 20 candidates on the party list to the Knesset, with two of them being from the first ten names.

 

In addition, he will have the last word on which MKs will serve as committee heads, and who would serve on which committee. If elected, he will also be able to personally pick the ministers of his government, without the approval of his party.

 

Avi Gabbay (Photo: Motti Kimchi) (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Avi Gabbay (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

"Our party needs change and renewal," he said on Thursday, at a party event prior to the vote. "If we do not know how to change, why should the public think that we can change the country?"

 

Gabbay later attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.

 

"The current government is corrupting the state, breaking up Israeli society, crushing our unity and the security of the state," he said. "We see a whole network of corruption that is being used against state security. But there are no free meals, and corruption has a price. Each and every citizen is paying for it."

 

Gabbay, sitting with members of his party, after the vote was passed (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Gabbay, sitting with members of his party, after the vote was passed (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

 

Shortly before Gabbay's speech, former party chairman Amir Peretz made it clear that he opposes granting the party chairman the ability to personally appoint four members of the party "blindly," as he put it.

 

"The line that separates democratic from undemocratic is whether the appointment is a blind one or not," he said, adding that although he might not agree with it, he is a "true democrat" and would respect "any decision that is made" by the party.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.14.17, 22:31
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