Labor-Hatnua leader MK Yitzhak Herzog has not yet declared defeat, senior party officials confirmed Sunday – after reports in Maariv surfaced claiming Herzog has approached Kulanu party chairman Moshe Kahlon with a senior portfolio if he recommends him over Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

On Sunday, President Reuven Rivlin will begin the process of forming a government, approaching all party chairman and asking them their demands for a coalition and their recommendation for Prime Minister. 

While Netanyahu is largely expected to be tasked with forming the government, analysts say that the key will be with Kahlon – the former Likudnik who began his own party and, with a centrist platform that could swing either left or right and a hefty ten-seat swing for a coalition, ultimately may have control over what type of government forms. 

According to Labor officials, a pact between Kahlon and Herzog is “an option being investigated” and that Herzog is approaching as many coalition partners as possible. 

However, analysts have responded that such a pact, while indeed possible, is unlikely – as politicians are not inclined to move against the will of the public, which overwhelmingly voted for Likud. 

Herzog and Labor’s #2 candidate, MK Tzipi Livni, are waiting on Herzog for a reply, officials said.