In Israel’s closely fought elections, anti-defection laws could shape coalition talks

With Israel heading into a closely fought election, anti-defection laws could shape coalition talks. The laws, introduced after the 1990 'Dirty Trick' affair, restrict lawmakers who leave their parties, barring defectors from ministerial posts. Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor his rivals is projected to secure a clear majority. Avigdor Liberman has raised the possibility of recruiting Likud lawmakers, but experts are skeptical. The article traces the history of such legislation, from Moshe Dayan's defection to recent cases.

With Israel heading into a closely fought election on Tuesday, anti-defection laws could shape post-election coalition talks. The laws, introduced in 1991 after the 'Dirty Trick' affair, restrict lawmakers who leave their parties, barring defectors from serving as ministers or deputy ministers and limiting their ability to join other factions. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor his rivals is projected to secure a clear majority, according to widespread polling. Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, has raised the possibility of recruiting Likud lawmakers to help form a government. The Israel Democracy Institute's Assaf Shapira expressed skepticism, noting the legal obstacles. The article traces the history of anti-defection legislation, from Moshe Dayan's 1977 defection to the cases of Amichai Chikli and Idit Silman during the Bennett-Lapid government.