Israel's Knesset dissolves, passes media law before October election

The Israeli Knesset voted on Friday to dissolve itself, ending its four‑year term—the first complete term since the 1980s—and will not meet again before the scheduled parliamentary election on 27 October. In its final session the governing coalition rushed through a series of contentious measures.

Key legislation includes a media‑reform bill that creates a new regulatory authority whose members are appointed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, significantly increasing government influence over broadcasters and online outlets. A separate bill weakens the authority of the attorney general by removing the binding effect of its legal opinions. The coalition also extended exemptions from mandatory military service for ultra‑Orthodox men, a move criticised for threatening Israel’s defence manpower.

These moves come as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud coalition trails in opinion polls and faces internal pressure. The Knesset’s dissolution and the passage of these laws have been described by opposition leaders and legal experts as undermining democratic checks and press freedom ahead of a tightly contested election.