Kahlon, dubbed the "Kingmaker" of the latest election, is expected to recommend Netanyahu to form the government. PHOTO: Wikpedia.

After a strong victory for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in Israel’s elections on Tuesday, negotiations are already underway to establish the next governing coalition. Netanyahu, for his part, is working to put together a government as soon as possible and is expecting Moshe Kahlon, the leader is Israel’s new Kulanu party, to support him, according to Israel’s NRG news website.

Kahlon was labelled a “kingmaker” in the lead-up to the election because of his perceived willingness to join either a right-wing or a left-wing coalition. He has expressed his desire to be appointed as the finance minister to tackle Israel’s cost of living crisis.

Likud officials in Netanyahu’s close circle said Kahlon will recommend Netanyahu to form a government to the president. As early as February NRG reported that Kulanu’s chairman would support Netanyahu but the only thing preventing him from doing so at the time was his desire to attract votes from the center-left bloc, which also held him back from publicizing this fact.