美国有线新闻 CNN 以色列举行年内第二次议会选举

 

We'll start in the Middle Eastern country of Israel. Voters there are going back to the polls today for Israel's second general election within six months.

The reason for that has to do with Israel's Knesset, its parliament. I?n order to serve as Israel's prime minister, a leader needs the support of most of the seats in the Knesset. There are 120 seats there, so a leader needs at least 61 of them in support.

But there's a complication — there are dozens of political parties in Israel and no single party is likely to win 61 seats in an election. So what a lawmaker has to do to serve as prime minister is form a coalition¹ government, a group of parties working together that gives a leader at least 61 seats in the Knesset.

Right after April's elections, incumbent² Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to serve a record fifth term. But then there was a deadlock³ among the political parties. Prime Minister Netanyahu did not get enough of them to back him up with that 61 seat majority.

It was the first time in Israel's history that an election didn't lead to a coalition government. So the Prime Minister called for a new general election. The one that happens today. Will it give him the 61 seats he needs for a coalition government? Will it give that to another Israeli lawmaker? Is more deadlock ahead. Israel waits to see.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。