Israeli President Isaac Herzog to play key role in forming next government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will play a pivotal role in deciding whom to entrust with the responsibility of forming the next coalition government. In the recently held elections, neither the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor that of his rival Gadi Eisenkot managed to secure a majority in Parliament, leading to a political deadlock in the country. In this situation, Herzog's role has become extremely decisive.

President Herzog, regarded as having a calm nature both religiously and politically, will begin consultations with representatives of various political parties from Wednesday, 4 November, 2026. His primary objective is to select a candidate who possesses the best chance of forming a government. Herzog's choice will not depend solely on the party with the most seats, but on the ability to form a government. According to Israeli law, the office of the President is primarily ceremonial or formal, but he is granted broad discretion in the matter of government formation, and there are no specific guidelines provided for this selection.

Hergog has called for every effort to be made to avoid new elections. Shortly after the elections, he stated, "I expect whoever comes here to come with an open mind." If both Netanyahu's and Eisenkot's parties fail to form a coalition, Herzog will make every effort to prevent the possibility of new elections by supporting the formation of a joint government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot.

The President had previously acknowledged that he would face heavy pressure during this process, but he assured that he would not let any external influence, particularly pressure from US President Donald Trump, affect his decision. In an interview with American media MS Now, he said, "I do not think the President of the United States or anyone else can interfere in my discretion. This is Israel's democracy and Israel's constitution, and that is what is important to me."

Hergog has also faced pressure from Trump to grant pardon to Netanyahu in his long-running corruption cases, as Netanyahu could face imprisonment if he loses power. To discuss this issue, Herzog invited Netanyahu's lawyers and prosecutors to his residence in April. In an interview with AFP in March, Herzog described the US-Israel war with Iran as a "historic turning point" and said a moment will come when the root cause of wars and terror originating from Tehran will be stopped, changing the direction of the entire region.

66-year-old Herzog is a centrist leader with political experience. He became the President of Israel after being elected by a large majority of lawmakers in 2021. At that time, he was praised by Yair Lapid. Herzog was elected to the Israeli Parliament in 2003 and handled important departments such as housing, tourism, and welfare. In 2015, he contested for the post of Prime Minister against Netanyahu as the leader of Israel's center-left Labour Party.

Isaac Herzog's father, Chaim Herzog, was also a prominent leader of Israel. He was the head of Israel's military intelligence agency, subsequently became Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, and finally served as the sixth President of Israel from 1983 to 1993. His father was of Irish origin.