Israel: Legal Response to Covid-19

"Israel has a parliamentary regime with a unicameral legislature (‘Knesset’). The Knesset, which consists of 120 members (‘MKs’), is elected in general, representative, multi-party elections. The candidate for Prime Minister who manages to command the support of at least a simple majority of MKs receives from the President the mandate...

Parliamentary Activity and Legislative Oversight during the Coronavirus Pandemic -A Comparative Overview

The novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is extremely contagious and currently incurable. Hence, much of the efforts to contain the pandemic have focused on social distancing, prohibiting gatherings and even curfews. The Coronavirus poses a new dual challenge for legislatures. First, the Coronavirus, and the measures taken to contain its...

Covid-19 and Legislative Activity: A Cross-National Study

Insufficient attention has been given to studying a vital organ jeopardized by covid-19: legislatures. Legislatures across the globe have been shut down or limited due to covid-19. In a comprehensive multidisciplinary study, exploring legislatures across 159 countries, we show that there is no causal relation between the severity of covid-19...

Temporary Legislation in Times of Covid-19

This article presents an empirical view of the widespread use of temporary legislation (known also as "Sunset Legislation") as a tool in handling the challenges of the Coronavirus in Israel. First, the article presents the dramatic increase of temporary legislation during the covid-19 crisis, and traces the purposes and rationales...

Legislatures in the Time of Covid-19

Legislatures around the world have been challenged by the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic. Questions have arisen about parliaments’ operation during the pandemic, their role in combating covid-19, and their relationship with the executive and other state actors. This editorial introduces the special issue on ‘Legislatures in the Time of Covid-19’...