Following a closely contested election, Israeli political maneuvering has centered on the difficulty of forming a governing coalition. Avigdor Liberman has suggested the possibility of recruiting individual members of the Likud party to join a coalition that excludes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the practical application of this strategy is hindered by Israel’s strict anti-defection laws.

These laws were designed to ensure political stability by preventing individual members of the Knesset (MKs) from defecting to rival factions. Under current regulations, any lawmaker who breaks away from their party to join a different coalition faces severe political sanctions, including a ban on running for the next election under an existing party list and a potential loss of ministerial positions. These legal barriers effectively force parties to negotiate as unified blocs rather than relying on the support of individual defectors.

While Liberman’s proposal aims to bypass the traditional coalition-building process, the legal framework creates a high barrier to entry for any Likud members considering such a move. The Times of Israel reports that these legislative constraints are a primary factor in the current deadlock, as they limit the flexibility of party leaders to peel off support from opposing camps. Consequently, coalition talks remain focused on securing the support of entire parties, which often hold conflicting ideological positions, rather than individual political figures.