By Ted Belman
PM Olmert has announced that Min. Lieberman Will Push Electoral, Gov’t Reform. Those involved were
agreed upon four factors to be taken into account in the current electoral reform: regime stability, the government’s ability to rule, the Knesset’s effectiveness and the responsibility of parliamentary representatives toward their voters. In an effort to achieve wide support for the bill, its sponsors will focus on the proposal to limit the use of no-confidence votes, on raising the the minimum vote threshold for parties to enter the Knesset, on barring ministers and deputy ministers from holding seats in parliament (known as “the Norwegian Law”), and related specific proposals.
Apparently the government is most concerned with “regime stability” i.e., the governments ability to rule.
I find this shocking.
Under the present rules, this government has withstood what should have been body blows and it still stands. It is currently moving to divest Israel of its land at the expense of its security and its historical roots. Its Prime Minister has the lowest recorded support of the people since Israel was established yet he remains in office. Given all this, I would argue it is too stable.
To seek absolute stability is to seek totalitarianism. What concerns the government is their ability to withstand the howls of outrage when they try to ram the Saudi Plan down the throats of the people. So they are intent in taking out an insurance policy to secure their hold on power.
Government reform is needed but not to make the regime more stable but to make it more accountable.
