Yesh Atid's Mickey Levy elected as new Knesset speaker

The vote for Levy passed with the support of 67 MKs after Shas MK Yaakov Margi did not obtain a majority.

Levy said he preferred not to make a speech, as Labor MK Emilie Moatti had arrived at the Knesset plenum directly from the hospital in order to be able to vote for the new speaker and government.

Levy said he preferred to allow Moatti to return to the hospital as soon as possible, and would postpone his first speech as speaker to a later date.

Moatti herself voted while lying down, unable to stand up due to a rare side effect she experienced while undergoing a lumbar puncture, which caused her spinal fluid to leak.

 

Moatti was the first MK to vote for the new government, before being taken immediately back to the hospital.

Levy is a former Jerusalem police chief and has been in the Knesset for eight years.

He lost one brother in combat and one in a traffic accident. 

Levin's year-long term was full of turmoil. He closed down much of the Knesset for much of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic and placed unprecedented restrictions on the press. 

The outgoing speaker said it was an honor to serve in the role during such a challenging time.