A prime minister's job is to make sure the government works for those who have elected him, and not for big corporations.

As a citizen of a democratic state, I have always believed that when a prime minister is elected in Israel, even those who voted against him at the polls are obligated to desire his success.

The responsibility of a minister is to step aside when there is a criminal investigation of the department. That protects the propriety of Parliament and of responsible government.

But these processes have been distorted by the prime minister. So in the end, we have an elected politician who can remain above the law with no mechanism to deal with it -- no accountability, no responsibility. That to me is not democracy.

The fact that I was elected prime minister shows that the LDP has changed,

Those who believe that after I have left the government as prime minister, I will go into a permanent retirement, really should have their heads examined.