Netanyahu To Be Next Israeli Prime Minister

02.20.09 | FL News Team

Israeli President Shimon Peres has chosen right-wing candidate Benjamin Netanyahu to become the Jewish state's new prime minister. The Likud party leader will receive a formal invitation to head the next administration today. He will have six weeks to form a coalition cabinet.

Netanyahu and centrist Tzipi Livni both claimed victory in the February 10th election. While Livni's Kadima party won 28 seats compared to the Likud party's 27, neither side was able to claim a majority in Isreal's 120-member parliament.

However, right-leaning parties did end up with a majority. It was determined Netanyahu would be more likely to form a majority government by teaming up with like-minded splinter groups than his opponent.

Netanyahu served as the Israel's prime minister in the 1990s. He has said he would like to form a governing coalition with the Kadima party and the left-leaning Labour Party.

President Peres met with Netanyahu and Livni earlier today in an effort to persuade them to form a broader unity government. Livni has indicated she is not interested in being part of a unity coalition unless she is prime minister.