BICOM

Tzipi Livni announced yesterday evening that she would not insist on rotating the premiership with Isaac Herzog if the Zionist Union triumphs today and forms the next government.

Livni’s Hatnuah faction had joined Isaac Herzog’s Labour Party towards the start of the election campaign, forming the Zionist Union. The two leaders agreed that if victorious, Herzog would initially serve as prime minister for a two-year period, after which Livni would take over for the remainder of the term. The amalgamation of Labour and Hatnuah has proved popular and polls last week indicated that Zionist Union had moved into the lead over Likud for the first time.

However, Livni announced that she would agree to drop the rotation arrangement. Explaining the decision, she said that in conversation with Herzog, “I made it clear that we had to do everything we could to replace [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, and to replace him the rotation cannot be a stumbling block.” Livni insisted that the move was “not a tactic” and that she and Herzog are still very much “together.” She commented, “The two of us, we have created a partnership that became historic for this unnecessary election.” It is unclear what impact dropping the rotation agreement will have on today’s election.

Herzog told Channel Two that Livni’s decision was “not due to last minute pressure.” He indicated that it was in fact taken with one eye on potential coalition negotiations, saying that Livni told him “if the rotation agreement is an obstacle to the establishment of a government in any way, I will not stand in the way.”

However, Likud responded almost immediately, calling Livni’s decision a “cynical move” and a “zigzag” which is designed to “ensure the formation of a radical left government in partnership with the Arab list and the left-wing parties.” The statement asked “If they [Herzog and Livni] can’t withstand the pressure of the polls, how will they be able to handle international pressure?”