Jerusalem, 19 December, 2022 (TPS) — The new Israeli Knesset passed its first legislation on Monday afternoon — a law that makes it harder for Knesset members to break away from their party and create a new faction.

The new law bars two MKs from breaking from their party if they do not make up one-third of the party list. The law is seen as making it easier for Prime Minister Designate Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent members of his ruling Likud party from rebelling. A faction of breakaway Likud lawmakers would now need 10 members.

Previously, four MKs could create their own faction regardless of the size of the party they were breaking away from.

In practice, the law only impacts Likud, which has 32 seats, and Yesh Atid, which has 24.

A number of Likud lawmakers are dissatisfied with the cabinet and Knesset committee assignments Netanyahu agreed on with the other parties of the right-wing bloc, leaving what they view as insufficient positions for Likud loyalists.