Israeli President Reuven Rivlin condemned the election campaign on Monday, urging an end to political “instability.”
“We don’t deserve another awful and grubby election campaign like the one that ends today and we don’t deserve this never-ending instability. We deserve a government that works for us,” Rivlin said in a statement after voting in Jerusalem.
The head of state did not spell out which aspects of the campaign he found troubling.
But the run-up to Israel’s third election in less than 12 months has included a series of leaked recordings.
Rivlin cast his ballot in Jerusalem shortly before Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election under the weight of criminal indictments.
Turnout has emerged as a key factor in the race, and the premier urged Israelis to cast their ballots, despite concerns about the Coronavirus outbreak.
“Go vote,” Netanyahu said. “The Coronavirus thing is completely under control.”
Israel has 10 confirmed cases of the virus, with more than 5,000 others placed in home quarantine after travelling to areas considered outbreak hotspots.
