Negotiations for a coalition officially begin Sunday, the Government Press Office (GPO) revealed Wednesday night. 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will hold a series of consultations with the parties elected to serve in the 20th Knesset on Sunday, the GPO added, at the President’s Residence. 

A letter was sent Wednesday evening to the parties, by the Director General of the Office of the President, Harel Tubi, inviting the representatives to the consultations – at the end of which Rivlin will award the task of forming the next government to one of the candidates.

“In accordance with Article 7 of the Basic Law on Government, President Reuven Rivlin will hold a round of consultations with representatives of the lists of candidates elected to the new Knesset, and shortly thereafter will bestow the task of forming the government upon one of the Members of Knesset,” the letter stated. “In coordination with Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Hon. Judge Salim Joubran, it is the President’s intention to open the round of consultations already at the beginning of next week, out of an effort to conclude the process of establishing the new government as early as possible – in order to ensure the citizens of Israel have the assurance of a fully functioning government, in the face of the present challenges which lie before the State of Israel.”

Unofficially, several declarations regarding the formation of a coalition have been made – and it is largely expected that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, whose Likud party won a stunning 30 seats in Tuesday’s elections, will be given the task; 61 seats are needed to form a coalition. 

Netanyahu called Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett Tuesday night to pledge immediately his wish to work together on forming a government.