Reuven Rivlin cites coalition problems and expected budget crisis as indicators that the current government will not hold

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party, predicted Thursday that parliamentary elections will be moved up to the end of this year.

The speaker cited a fractured governing coalition, the upcoming US elections, as well as an expected upcoming crisis over the budget as indicators that the current government will not hold until the end of 2013 — when elections are currently scheduled — according to Ynet News.

Rivlin spoke Thursday to fellow Likud members at party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

The speaker’s statements came against the backdrop of a Yedioth Ahronoth article which claimed that Netanyahu was preparing to call for early elections.

According to the article, the prime minister may seek a consensus at the start of the Knesset’s summer session in May with respect to holding elections in September, 2012, more than a year ahead of schedule. (© 2012 THE TIMES OF ISRAEL 03/23/12)