Change Bloc demands vote to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Tuesday

Parties in Israel's Change Bloc, including Yisrael Beiteinu and the Democrats, have formally requested Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to hold a vote on his replacement during the first session of the 26th Knesset on Tuesday. Ohana responded that he will schedule the vote if 61 MKs sign a request. The bloc has not yet agreed on a candidate.

The Joint List announced on Thursday that it will send a formal request to outgoing Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to convene an urgent session to elect a new speaker for the 26th Knesset. This demand coincides with calls from the four parties of the 'Eisenkot bloc' to replace Ohana when the Knesset opens next Tuesday. The four parties are Yashar, BeYachad, HaDemokratim, and Yisrael Beiteinu. They have sent letters to Ohana, but their leaders have not yet reached an agreement on a joint candidate. Ohana responded that convening a session requires the signatures of 61 members. The leaders of the four parties met two days ago and issued a joint statement announcing efforts to replace the 'October 7 government' with a national emergency government and achieve a clear parliamentary majority, based on Eisenkot's four principles. The statement also criticized the 'delegitimization campaign' waged by Likud and Netanyahu against the election results.