In his first public statement since polling stations closed, Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged political parties to keep an “open mind” in order to avoid another round of elections, CNN reports.
“One thing must be clear, and I said this even before the elections: we must do everything we can, especially after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections,” Herzog said on Wednesday afternoon as vote counting neared completion.
Once the results are certified, Herzog will begin consultations with all political parties to determine which candidate has the best chance of forming a government. However, if no one succeeds in forming a government, Israel will automatically head towards another round of elections a scenario Herzog has made clear he wants to prevent.
“Therefore, I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind,” he said.
Herzog also praised the high voter turnout, describing it as a sign of Israel’s democracy.
“Yesterday’s election day was truly impressive, with the highest turnout in decades. This is a medal of honour for Israeli society, and it was extraordinary to see how deep the desire for democracy in Israel is,” he said.
