Coalition Agreement Says Gov’t Will Fall If Budget Isn’t Passed in 100 Days

The draft coalition agreement between the Yesh Atid and Yamina parties states that if the government fails to pass a state budget within 100 days after its formation, the government will collapse and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid will not succeed Yamina’s Naftali Bennett as prime minister.

The rotation agreement, which was reviewed by Lapid and Bennett Sunday evening, is based mainly on a similar accord between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz in the outgoing government. However, it makes several changes to ensure that it is honored.

Sources involved in the talks said both sides were acutely aware of the budget issue, which brought down the Netanyahu government, and that the agreement is ultimately based on trust between Lapid and Bennett. However, Yesh Atid is reportedly seeking defense mechanisms that would go into force in the latter part of Bennett’s term as prime minister on the assumption that if the agreement is going to be violated, it won’t happen in the government’s first few months.