Israeli lawmakers advance bill to dissolve parliament

Israeli lawmakers have advanced a bill to dissolve the Knesset, opening the way for a possible early election if the measure clears several further stages. In a preliminary vote on Wednesday, 110 of the 120 lawmakers backed the bill and none voted against it. The proposal now goes to committee before three more parliamentary readings are required for final approval.

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If the bill is ultimately passed, it could trigger an election within 90 days. The current legislative session is due to end on October 27, and polls are already expected before then if the process moves ahead. The vote came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties within his fractious right-wing coalition.

The immediate dispute centres on military service exemptions for young ultra-Orthodox men. Those parties accuse Netanyahu of failing to deliver legislation that would preserve the exemption, adding to strains inside a coalition that has already been under pressure. Coalition chairman Ofir Katz said the coalition had "completed its days", while also pointing to the number of budgets and laws passed during the current term.

The development matters because it raises the prospect of a snap election at a time of political instability and continuing conflict. Netanyahu leads Israel's most right-wing government in its history, and the vote comes while the country is still dealing with the effects of war on multiple fronts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The parliamentary move also adds uncertainty around the government's ability to maintain its current agenda.

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The bill was not introduced in isolation. Opposition parties had already said earlier this month that they intended to bring their own dissolution bills, sensing an opening as coalition tensions deepened. That makes the current vote part of a broader struggle over the survival of the government rather than a single procedural step.

It also reflects the growing pressure on Netanyahu from both coalition partners and opponents. Netanyahu is also facing a long-running corruption trial, and President Isaac Herzog is mediating talks over a possible plea deal. The political stakes are therefore wider than the immediate parliamentary arithmetic, with the outcome potentially affecting the timing of an election and the shape of the next government.

What remains unclear is whether the bill will survive committee scrutiny and the remaining readings, and whether a final vote will be reached in time to set an election date.

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