President Itzhak Ben Zvi today started consultations with representatives of various political parties for the formation of a new Cabinet following the resignation yesterday of Premier David Ben Gurion. It is expected that he will complete his talks by tomorrow and will then entrust Acting Premier Moshe Sharett with the formation of the Cabinet.
The President indicated that he would like to see a Cabinet based on a wide coalition. The representatives of the Mapai told him that their party was agreeable to a coalition based on the same party composition as the present Cabinet. The representatives of the General Zionists informed him that before they decide to re-enter the Cabinet, they want to see some points in the government’s policy clarified. The left-wing Mapam Party told the President that they prefer a Cabinet based on a coalition of the labor groups.
All indications point to the possibility that the new Cabinet will be formed this week. In the meantime, Mr. Sharett will take up his duties as Acting Premier tomorrow. Mr. Ben Gurion today visited his former office for the last time and later left for Tel Aviv.
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