Rivlin: Next comptroller pick cannot be political

Current State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss finishes his term on July 3.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin 311 (photo credit: Gabi Farkash)
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin 311
(photo credit: Gabi Farkash)
In what can be seen as the opening shot in the upcoming race for the next state comptroller, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin raised the issue in Monday’s Knesset Presidency meeting.
Current State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss finishes his term on July 3. The Knesset must vote for his successor in no earlier than 90 days, but no later than 30 days before Lindenstrauss steps down.
The Knesset Presidency is the forum made up of Rivlin and his deputies.
Ninety days before the end of the comptroller’s term falls in the beginning of April, during the legislature’s Passover recess.
Because the recess ends in the beginning of May, Rivlin told his deputies that there is no need to call a special Knesset meeting to vote on a new state comptroller.
“We cannot let the process [of choosing the comptroller] appear to be political,” Rivlin said, explaining that if he receives a request to hold the vote on the new comptroller during the recess, he will only consider it “under the most dramatic circumstances.”
Rivlin said he plans to decide, together with the Knesset Presidency, on the date of the vote in the coming weeks.
Candidacy for the state comptroller position must be submitted in writing to the Knesset Speaker, no less than 10 days before the vote. Each MK may nominate one candidate.