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Knesset sources predict giant gov't By Zvi Zrahiya Tags: Israel NEws, cabinet  The new cabinet is likely to break all records for sheer size, predict sources in Knesset. It will be packed with needless ministerial posts, ministers without portfolio and deputy ministers with pointless positions, costing taxpayers millions of shekels a year, because - if the polls are at all accurate - no one party will win a decisive majority, or even win more than 28 seats in the 120-person parliament. If so, the next prime minister will have to recruit a larger than usual number of parties into the ruling coalition, all of which will claim a seat (or many seats) in the cabinet. Without doing this, the next PM won't be able to command a decisive majority of at least 75 Knesset members, explain sources in the outgoing parliament. With a smaller number of MKs, any party would be in a position to grandstand - threaten to quit at the smallest provocation, and bring the government down. Advertisement Building a broad coalition will mean succumbing to the parties' demands, which will inevitably lead to more ministerial positions, not to mention other top positions at the ministries, even if they have to be created specially. A minister without portfolio costs taxpayers NIS 2 million a year; a deputy minister costs NIS 1.5 million a year. A minister without portfolio is entitled to employ 12 people at his or her office, while a deputy minister may have eight staffers, so one must add these costs to the bill. One must also add the budgets that will demanded by the ministers without portfolio. The present cabinet under Ehud Olmert has 24 ministers and two deputy ministers, aside from the prime minister himself. Recently Ami Ayalon quit as minister without portfolio; his position has not been filled. Also, Moldovan-born Avigdor Lieberman quit as minister of Strategic Threats and his ministry, created for the Yisrael Beiteinu chairman, was closed down. The ratio in the present parliament was one ministry per 2.5 to 3 MKs. For example, Labor has 19 seats in the Knesset and was therefore entitled to seven ministerial positions plus one deputy-minister post. Shas, with 12 seats, got four portfolios; Kadima, with 29 seats, has 13 ministers including the prime minister, and one deputy minister. According to this method, a future coalition of say 75 to 78 MKs could translate into one prime minister, 25 to 28 other cabinet ministers and four to six deputy ministers, depending on political expediency. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Democracy's discontents Panel allows far-rightist Marzel to oversee Arab city poll. One born every minute Senior U.K. diplomat said arrested over anti-Semitic tirade.

Read & React 'IAF couldn't repeat Gaza successes in bigger war' Responses: 62 Report: Shalit deal hinges on Israel release of four terrorists Responses: 32 Senior U.K. diplomat arrested over tirade against 'f***ing Jews' Responses: 68 PA: Hamas rockets are bid to sway Israeli election Responses: 15 Lieberman now throwing his 'no loyalty, no citizenship' motto at Shas Responses: 30 More Headlines 01:26 Countdown to ballot in tight Likud-Kadima race 22:55 Netanyahu says won't name Lieberman defense minister if elected 21:40 Panel allows far-rightist Marzel to oversee Arab city poll 19:44 UN: Hamas returns aid seized in Gaza 23:05 Hamas says Gaza truce with Israel possible within 'a few days' 19:07 Elections 2009 / Barak: I won't be defense minister if Labor fails to near 20-seat mark 17:01 PA: Hamas rockets are bid to sway Israeli election 20:09 Lieber-fear and Bibi-phobia: How fear of the far-right could make Livni PM 01:05 UN envoy: Gaza's children traumatized by war despite ceasefire 19:50 'Your father would be ashamed': Rabin's son heckled at Netanyahu's side 14:14 Senior U.K. diplomat said arrested over anti-Semitic tirade 20:02 German police to seek Nazi 'Dr. Death' traces in Cairo 19:39 Survey: Only one in four Gazans supports Hamas 18:54 Rights group: Egypt police beat blogger who opposed Gaza offensive 18:32 World Jewish leaders tell Vatican Holocaust denial is a crime 16:52 Olmert allocates NIS 2.4b to rearm IDF after Gaza offensive Previous Editions Select Day 09 feb 08 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 02 feb 01 feb 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan

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