The Democrats Unveil Sweeping Legislative Package Amid Knesset Coalition Talks

Political tensions have emerged within the change bloc following the swearing-in of the new Knesset, centering on the distribution of roles in the Arrangements Committee. Although The Democrats faction has not yet secured key positions such as the chairmanships of the Finance or Foreign Affairs and Defense committees, political sources expect the faction to lead the special committee tasked with repealing the outgoing coalition's legislation.

In parallel, the faction has unveiled a comprehensive legislative package aimed at rolling back recent judicial, religious, and civil reforms. Key proposals include restoring the independence of the Police Investigations Department under the State Attorney's Office, reversing the split of the Attorney General's role, reinstating the former judicial appointments committee structure, and repealing legislation limiting the declaration of prime ministerial incapacitation solely to medical grounds. The package also proposes banning gender-segregated studies in higher education, stripping rabbinic courts of civil arbitration authority, and opening the kashrut market to competition.

These legislative moves coincide with ongoing coalition negotiations between the change bloc and ultra-Orthodox parties. United Torah Judaism has yet to commit to joining a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, demanding guarantees on military conscription, Shabbat observance, and the status quo. Meanwhile, Avigdor Lieberman, poised to head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, has emerged as a pivotal figure, signaling his 2018 conscription bill as a potential baseline for compromise despite friction with ultra-Orthodox demands.