The office of the Israeli president says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the difficult task of forming a new government.
Wednesday’s decision came after President Reuven Rivlin’s attempts to negotiate a union government between Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny Gantz, failed.
Rivlin and Netanyahu were due to make statements later Wednesday.
Netanyahu faces an uphill fight. After a tight election, his Likud party, along with smaller allied parties, controls 55 seats, less than the required majority of 61 seats in parliament.
His former ally, the Israel Beitenu party, refuses to participate in a government with the ultra-religious partners of Netanyahu. Moderate opposition parties are unlikely to support Netanyahu.
Now he has up to six weeks to form a coalition. If it fails, Gantz will probably have a chance.
According to the final official results announced on Wednesday, Blue and White finished first with 33 seats in the 120-seat parliament, slightly ahead of 32 Likud seats. Even with the support of smaller allies, both parties do not reach the required majority.
A total of 55 lawmakers recommended that Netanyahu lead the next government, while 54 lined up behind Gantz. The main energy corridor is Avigdor Lieberman, whose group Yisrael Beitenu controls 8 seats. Lieberman has refused to support any candidate and is pushing for a unity government.
The corruption investigation against Netanyahu looms over the process. The Israeli attorney general recommended accusing Netanyahu of bribery, fraud and abuse of trust in a series of scandals.
Netanyahu, who denies acting badly, must attend a hearing with the attorney general next week, after which a final decision on the charges is expected. Legal experts say the probability of prosecution is high.
Under Israeli law, the president’s first option is given within six weeks to form a coalition. If it fails, you can choose an alternative candidate to try. After that, the majority of parliament could offer a third name for prime minister. And if that fails, Israel would be forced to hold its third election in less than a year.