By NINA GILBERT

(May 19) - Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak has 45 days from next Tuesday, when the election results are official, to form a coalition and present his government to the Knesset for approval. However, the Knesset must convene on June 7 at 4 p.m., regardless of whether there is a government.

"If a prime minister does not bring his government before the Knesset within the time limit, special elections must be held," for prime minister, according to Knesset legal adviser Zvi Inbar. Under this highly unlikely scenario, a candidate for prime minister must be from one of the Knesset parties.

The first session of the 15th Knesset will be opened by President Ezer Weizman, who will then turn over the speaker position to the oldest MK.

That honor will go to 76-year-old Shimon Peres, who will serve until One Israel, as the largest faction, selects a speaker. The choice of speaker must be brought before the Knesset for approval.

Among the One Israel MKs who have been touted as candidates for speaker are Avraham Shohat and Uzi Baram, since the job usually goes to an older MK. However, Shohat would only say that he wants to serve again as finance minister. Other possibilities for the position are Ephraim Sneh and Avraham Burg.

Barak must give the Knesset a seven-day notice of his intent to present his cabinet to the Knesset. During that session, he must also announce his government's policy guidelines.

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• Those unsinkable Shasniks: Anatomy of a triumph
  
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• Netanyahu: The time has come to take a break
  
• Celebrations in Kikar Rabin
  
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• Our election in their eyes
  
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• Clear vision in the desert
  
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• A real shift to the Left
  
• Mordechai's fateful weekend
  
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Links in this section:
More than a token victory?
The power game
Neighborhood watch
'I don't pay attention to polls'
Population shifts