Election of a permanent Speaker of the Knesset

Following the elections for the 23^rd Knesset, the new Knesset was set to be sworn in on March 16, 2020. In anticipation of the swearing in, a majority of the Knesset requested that the acting Speaker of the Knesset, MK Yoel (Yuli) Edelstein, include a motion for the election of a permanent Speaker on the agenda of that session. The Speaker refused.

Petitions were filed in the High Court of Justice challenging the Speaker’s decision.

On March 23, 2020, a unanimous Court (President E. Hayut, Deputy President H. Melcer, Justice N. Hendel, Justice U. Vogelman, Justice I. Amit) issued a partial judgment ordering the Speaker of the Knesset to convene the Knesset plenum for the purpose of electing a permanent Speaker of the 23rd Knesset, no later than Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

On March 25, 2020, the acting Speaker convened a plenary session of the Knesset, gave notice of his resignation, and adjourned the session. In so doing, the Speaker violated the order absolute instructing him to convene the plenum for the purpose of electing a permanent Speaker. In response, the Court issued a judgment that same day, ordering that the most veteran Member of Knesset convene the Knesset plenum on Thursday, March 26, 2020, for the purpose of electing a permanent Speaker.

A full translation of the judgment can be read here.