Labor Veteran Isaac Herzog Elected Israel's 11th President

Isaac Herzog, who will assume his position on July 9, succeeded over Peretz, 67, a former headmistress who lost two children in Israel's wars and is known as "the mother of sons".

Israel's parliament elected the even-keeled Labor veteran Isaac Herzog as its 11th president Wednesday, a vote that came as opposition lawmakers scrambled to forge a coalition to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu. Herzog, 60, beat former headmistress Miriam Peretz to replace President Reuven Rivlin, who was elected in 2014 to the largely ceremonial position decided by the parliament, or Knesset. Wednesday's presidential vote came as Israeli politicians from across the spectrum were holding 11th-hour negotiations to cobble together a new administration aimed at ending Prime Minister Netanyahu's 12 straight years in office. The Israeli presidency exerts little power, primarily meeting with party leaders after legislative elections and tasking candidates with forming governments. It is the country's prime minister who wields actual executive authority.