The Knesset Law Committee Wednesday approved for first reading a bill that would make it more difficult for small parties to gain representation in the Knesset. If the Knesset passes the bill, each party will need at least 2.5 percent of the total votes to gain representation, instead of the current two percent.

The change is one of a number recommended by committee chairman Menachem Ben Sasson (Kadima), but the panel rejected his suggestion that the party with the most votes automatically will get the first chance to form a coalition government. The current allow gives the President at the authority to decide which party has the best chance to gain a majority for a coalition.