Q&A: What Is the Difference Between Leaving the Government and Leaving the Coalition?
What Is the Difference Between Leaving the Government and Leaving the Coalition?
Question
I remember that at one point Ben-Gvir left the government, and then he came back, and now he’s apparently planning to leave again. I don’t understand—what is the effect of leaving the government? And what’s the difference between the government and the coalition? I also remember hearing that even someone with 4 seats can bring about elections. So how did Ben-Gvir’s departure not lead to that?
Note: maybe this really doesn’t belong here, but I know you answer quickly, so I asked—sorry.
Answer
A party does not leave the government; it leaves the coalition. What leaves the government are specific ministers, even if that means all the ministers belonging to a particular party. A party can leave the coalition. Leaving the coalition does not lead to elections unless there is a majority in the Knesset to dissolve it. You can even have a coalition of 10 Knesset members and the Knesset still would not be dissolved.