ABSTRACT
Executive–legislative relations in Israel underwent important changes during the early 1990s, when Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, introduced a new system of direct election of the prime minister (PM). 1 The introduction of the new system (to take place contextually with the renewal of the Knesset) solicited much debate and interest in academic as well as public circles, as its avowed purpose was to simultaneously enhance effective government and strengthen the Knesset. The reform, however, failed to achieve its goals. In 2001 the Knesset repealed it and restored the pre-1992 parliamentary system while introducing a watered down version of the constructive vote of no confidence and retaining some provisions from the short-lived reform.
