In Israel, Knesset approves three basic law amendments curbing judicial power through first reading

By Noa Shpigel, 15 March 2023
Flag of Israel (photo credit: jorono via pixabay)
Flag of Israel (photo credit: jorono via pixabay)
Israel's Knesset on [13 March] approved three bills in a slew of legislation designed to weaken the country's judicial system, including one preventing the attorney general from declaring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unfit for office, a bill requiring a special majority of High Court judges to intervene in legislation and the override clause. The first to be approved was a proposed amendment to the Basic Law on the Government stipulating that a prime minister can only be declared unfit for office due to physical or mental inability to carry out duties, and only by the prime minister himself or by the vote of three-quarters of cabinet members. In the event that the prime minister objects to putting the decision to the cabinet, it would then go to the Knesset, where at least 90 lawmakers would have to approve the move. [...] It was approved by 61 lawmakers and opposed by 51 in the first of three mandatory votes to pass it into law. The Knesset then voted on a bill demanding the consensus of 12 out of 15 High Court judges to strike down legislation ruled unconstitutional. The bill would enable the Knesset to override a High Court ruling with a simple majority while requiring a supermajority (and special circumstances) for the judiciary to strike down laws. [...] The third amendment approved by the Knesset, the override clause, allows its members to enact laws previously overruled by the court. This proposed amendment to the Basic Law on the Judiciary would also make any law passed by a slim majority (61 out of 120 lawmakers) immune to judicial review by the court.
Read the full article here: Haaretz

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