'Mini-Norwegian bill' to go to cabinet vote Sunday

The “Norwegian Law,” based on the model of the Scandinavian country’s government, requires each minister to be replaced in the legislature by a candidate from his or her party’s ballot.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Updated: JULY 14, 2015 01:26
The Knesset (photo credit: REUTERS)
The Knesset
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Legislation allowing a minister to resign from the Knesset but return to being an MK if he or she is fired from the cabinet will go to a ministerial vote on Sunday.
The “Norwegian Law,” based on the model of the Scandinavian country’s government, requires each minister to be replaced in the legislature by a candidate from his or her party’s ballot. If the minister is fired or resigns, he or she would reclaim a place in the Knesset and the substitute would no longer be a lawmaker.
The bill is meant to increase separation of powers, changing the current situation in which about a third of MKs cannot fully function as parliamentarians, because they are ministers or deputy ministers, and a central part of a lawmakers’ job is to oversee the executive branch of government.
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked’s version of the legislation would apply to ministers and deputy ministers, but only one per faction – meaning only five members of the current Knesset.
One of the reasons for the limitation is budgetary, as each new MK’s monthly salary is over NIS 38,000 and each has the right to two aides and an office outside the Knesset building.
“This bill will allow ministers to invest their time and effort in their ministries without having to balance different jobs,” Shaked said. “The bill will improve the Knesset’s work as a legislature, because MKs will be full-time lawmakers, and make the Knesset’s work in overseeing the executive branch more efficient.”
Shaked plans to resign from the legislature and Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, who was a Bayit Yehudi lawmaker in the last Knesset, will take her place. In addition, Deputy Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman is expected to leave the Knesset with former UTJ MK Ya’acov Asher replacing him.


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