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Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Ehud BARAK (since 6 July 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
Knesset
elections: president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term;
election last held 4 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003); prime
minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last
held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); note - in March 1992,
the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for
the direct election of the prime minister; under the new law, each
voter casts two ballots - one for the direct election of the prime
minister and one for a party in the Knesset; the candidate that
receives the largest percentage of the popular vote then works to form
a coalition with other parties to achieve a parliamentary majority of
61 seats; finally, the candidate must submit his or her cabinet to the
Knesset for approval and this must be done within 45 days of the
election; in contrast to the old system, under the new law, the prime
minister's party need not be the single-largest party in the Knesset
election results: Ezer WEIZMAN reelected president by the 120-member
Knesset with a total of 63 votes, other candidate, Shaul AMOR,
received 49 votes (there were seven abstentions and one absence); Ehud
BARAK elected prime minister; percent of vote - Ehud BARAK 56.08%,
Binyamin NETANYAHU 43.92%
note: government coalition - One Israel, Shas, MERETZ, Yisra'el
Ba'Aliya, Center Party, National Religious Party

Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - One Israel 20.2%, Likud
Party 14.1%, Shas 13%, MERETZ 7.6%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 5.1%, Shinui 5%,
Center Party 5%, National Religious Party 4.2%, United Torah Judaism
3.7%, United Arab List 3.4%, National Union 3%, Hadash 2.6%, Yisra'el
Beiteinu 2.6%, Balad 1.9%, One Nation 1.9%, Democratic Movement NA
(party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya
list); seats by party - One Israel 26, Likud Party 19, Shas 17, MERETZ
10, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 4, Shinui 6, Center Party 6, National Religious
Party 5, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 5, National Union 4,
Hadash 3, Yisra'el Beiteinu 4, Democratic Movement