Editing President of Israel (section)

===Reserve powers===
In addition to routine functions exercised on the advice of the Government or in accordance with the strictures of the Basic Laws, the president enjoys personal discretion in matters of Government formation, parliamentary dissolution, and granting pardons. These functions comprise the reserve powers of the presidency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.idi.org.il/articles/35063|title=The President—A Rubber Stamp or a Shield of Democracy?|publisher=The Israel Democracy Institute|author=Dana Blander|publication-date=21 July 2021|access-date=24 October 2024}}</ref>

====Formation of the Government====
The president's most important power, in practice, is to lead the process of forming a Government. Israel's [[Israeli system of government#Electoral system|electoral system]] and [[Politics of Israel#Political parties and elections|fractured political landscape]] make it all but impossible for one party to govern alone, let alone win an outright majority of Knesset seats. After each election, the president consults with party leaders to determine who is most likely to command a majority in the Knesset. Following such consultations, the president assigns a Knesset member the task of forming a Government. If the nominee is successful in forming a Government that can command the confidence of the Knesset, then said Knesset member becomes the [[prime minister]]. If a nominee fails to form a Government, then the president assigns the task anew. If a government is not formed within the timeframe stipulated in [[Basic Law: The Government]], then the president dissolves the Knesset and calls for fresh elections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Israel_2013#s794|title=Basic Law: The Government, Sections 7 to 14, 28 to 30|publisher=The Constitute Project|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>

====Dissolution of the Knesset====
The prime minister may request, by virtue of section 29 (a) of Basic Law: The Government, that the president dissolve the Knesset whenever the Government has lost its majority and is incapable of functioning.<ref name="Function" /> The president may refuse such a request, effectively dismissing the prime minister from office and triggering the resignation of the Government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Israel_2013#s931|title=Basic Law: The Government, Section 29|publisher=The Constitute Project|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref> The exercise of this authority by the president serves to prevent a prime minister from [[abuse of power|abusing their power]] – namely, beating the Knesset into submission through multiple [[snap election]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/dissolution-of-parliament-primer.pdf|title=Disslution of Parliament|author=Eliot Bulmer|publisher=International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)|publication-date=2017|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>

====Presidential clemency====
The president has broad power to pardon, reduce, or commute the sentences of both soldiers and civilians, including to refuse requests for such clemency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://constituteproject.org/constitution/Israel_2013#s272|title=Basic Law: The President of the State, Section 11 (b)|publisher=The Constitute Project|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref> The president reaches a decision regarding the prerogative of clemency at his or her own discretion, after receiving information from the applicants, requesting the opinion of other parties, and consulting the [[Ministry of Justice (Israel)|minister of justice]] or the [[Ministry of Defense (Israel)|minister of defense]], as the case may be. Each Israeli president adopts a different approach to how they handle clemency, which influences their decision making.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.president.gov.il/en/clemency/|title=Presidential Pardons|publisher=Office of the President of the State of Israel|access-date=21 February 2024}}</ref>