Tourism Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) denied a Yisrael Hayom report that Netanyahu decided against holding early elections due to indications that President Reuven Rivlin wouldn't let him form the next government even if the Likud won.
"Netanyahu did not refrain from early elections because of the fear that Rivlin would not recommend him for the next term," Levin told the Reshet Bet radio station. "They are looking for reasons to pre-empt the elections, it should be the opposite, the goal is to complete the government's term."