DIRECT ELECTIONS

Direct Elections: translation

   For a brief period, Israel selected the prime minister through a direct election process, casting a ballot for the prime minister. This replaced the system whereby Israelis voted only for the political party of their choice, and the mandate to form a government was awarded by the president to the leader of usually the largest party in the Knesset. The direct election process was utilized only in the 1996, 1999, and 2001 elections.