Israel's ruling coalition formally submitted a bill on May 13 to dissolve the 25th Knesset and trigger early parliamentary elections [1, 2, 3]. The legislation sets a minimum 90-day period after the bill's passage before elections can be held, with the exact date to be decided by a Knesset committee [1, 2, 3].
Parliamentary elections were originally scheduled for late October, by October 27, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The bill aims to regulate and streamline the dissolution process, giving clear authority for when early elections can take place [3]. A draft from the Likud party states, “The 25th Knesset shall be dissolved before the end of its term. Elections (to form the next Parliament) will be held on a date determined by the Knesset Committee, which may not be set earlier than 90 days after the passage of this law” [1].
The dissolution proposal comes amid a political crisis involving ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties, who have expressed dissatisfaction over unmet promises related to military service exemptions for yeshiva students [1, 2, 3]. This internal coalition tension appears to have driven the ruling bloc to seek an early election.
Opposition parties, including Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid and Yair Golan's Democrats, had already announced intentions to submit their own bills to dissolve the Knesset and hold early elections, initiating a legislative push from multiple sides [3]. The ruling coalition’s bill seems designed to pre-empt these opposition efforts and secure control over the election timetable [1, 2, 3].
Several opposition parties announced their intent to introduce dissolution bills on May 12, one day before the coalition filed its bill on May 13 [1, 2, 3]. The Knesset is expected to vote on the ruling coalition’s dissolution legislation around May 20 [1, 2].
The bill sets a minimum 90-day window between its approval and the election date, meaning elections would be held no earlier than late August or early September 2026, slightly advancing the original late-October schedule [1, 2, 3].
