A record of six candidates are contesting next Tuesday to succeed Shimon Peres as President of the State of Israel. He will elected by the 120 members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in a secret ballot. 7

The front-runner is former Knesset Speaker and Likud figure Reuven Rivlin, who is thought to have the support of the vast majority of both the Likud and Yisrael Beitenu factions, plus other assorted members of the Knesset.

But he will likely be short of the 61 votes needed for an outright victory and a second round of voting between the top two candidates will be most likely decisive.

The two other candidates who consider themselves potential second round contestants, Labour Member of the Knesset and former Defence Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer and former Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, are both reportedly canvassing support for such an eventuality.

The three remaining candidates, Hatnuah’s former Finance Minister Meir Sheetrit, former Supreme Court Judge Dalia Dorner and Nobel Prize laureate Dan Shechtman are widely considered to have little chance.

The question is who will receive support from the ultra-Orthodox Knesset parties ?

While Shas seems split, according to the Jerusalem Post, much of the United Torah Judaism Party will vote for Rivlin, Yediot Ahronot suggests that some ultra-Orthodox MKs could back Ben Eliezer, in recognition of his not backing legislation to draft greater numbers of ultra-Orthodox students into the military.

Among the Arab parties, Balad’s three MKs will reportedly back Ben Eliezer, while Hadash’s four MKs are thought to support Rivlin.

Born in Jerusalem on 9 September 1939, Reuven Rivlin is a lawyer by profession and a veteran Likud Member of the Knesset. He was first elected to the parliament in 1988 and was Likud chairman from 1988 to 1993. He was Minister of Communications in 2001-2003 and served as Speaker of the Knesset from 2003-2006 and 2009-2013.

He stood against Shimon Peres in the 2007 presidential elections.

He is considered a staunch defender of Israeli democracy. Although he personally opposes the two state solution, he has said he would not intervene in the decisions of Israel’s elected politicians.

Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer

Ben-Eliezer appears to be the leading opposition candidate. Considered one of Labour’s grandees, he was first elected to the Knesset in 1984 after retiring from the IDF with the rank of major general.

He was briefly leader of the Labour Party (2001-2002) and has also served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister for Industry, Trade and Labour.

Born is Basra, Iraq, Ben-Eliezer has pledged to “open Israel up to its neighbours”. Whilst in government he often spoke to regional media in fluent Arabic.

Though considered hawkish on security issues, he is an advocate of the two-state solution.

DaliaItzik

Itzik was first elected with the Labour Party in 1992, joining Kadimain 2005.

She was Speaker of the Knesset from 2006 to 2009 and assumed presidential duties for six months, following the suspension and resignation of Moshe Katzav in 2007.

She has held several ministerial portfolios, including environment, communications and trade.

The presidency: A largely ceremonial and constitutional role

The presidency in Israel is a largely ceremonial and constitutional role. The president is not meant to play an active part in everyday Israeli political affairs.

The Israeli president holds the constitutional duties of a head of state, including signing legislation into law, pardoning prisoners and nominating a politician to form the government.

The president serves a seven year term and is limited to one term.

The president is elected by the 120 members of the Knesset. Any Israeli citizen is eligible to run.

In order to run, candidates must been endorsed by at least 10 Members of Knesset (MKs).

To be elected, the presidential candidate must receive the votes of a majority of the members of the Knesset (61 votes out of 120 MKs). If there is no majority in the first ballot, the candidate with the smallest amount of votes is eliminated and the vote is repeated.

source:EIPA