In a meeting held Friday between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Israel Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman, the two leaders decided to promote legislation that would bring about a change in Israel's system of government and the creation of a constitution for the state, the Prime Minister's Office said in an announcement released on Saturday. The meeting may also signal that Israel Beiteinu is on its way to joining the government. The two agreed that from the start of the upcoming winter Knesset session, the two parties, Israel Beiteinu and Kadima, would push the agenda forward.
At the meeting, Olmert and Lieberman discussed the creation of a presidential system. According to the proposed model, the prime minister will have the power to nominate ministers based on their qualifications, without having to receive permission from the Knesset. These ministers will not have to act as Knesset members.
Science, Culture and Sport Minister Ophir Paz-Pines rejected the proposed change, saying that "direct elections were a big failure and its results were the opposite of its goals. The problem isn't the governmental system but the political culture in Israel. A presidential system without a constitution can be dangerous." |