how does the israeli prime minister get elected

In Israel, the prime minister is not elected directly by voters. People vote for parties in Knesset elections, and then the president asks the party leader most likely to build a majority coalition to form a government.

How it works

• Citizens vote for party lists , not for a prime minister candidate.

• The 120 Knesset seats are divided by proportional representation.

• After the election, the president consults party leaders and gives the job of forming a government to the Knesset member most likely to win support from a majority.

• That candidate usually has about 42 days to assemble a coalition and get Knesset approval.

• If they fail, another candidate may get a chance, or new elections can be held.

Simple example

If Party A wins the most seats but only 35 out of 120, its leader still usually needs to strike deals with other parties to reach 61 seats for a majority. That coalition-building step is what effectively decides who becomes prime minister.

Main point

So the prime minister is chosen through a parliamentary process , not a direct popular vote: voters pick parties, and coalition politics decides the leader.

TL;DR

Israelis vote for parties, the president nominates the person most likely to command a Knesset majority, and that person becomes prime minister only after forming a coalition and winning legislative approval.