Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor his opponents secured a projected majority in Israel’s parliamentary election, leaving the country without a clear winner, according to exit polls released after voting ended Tuesday.
Projections from Israel’s three main television networks gave an opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot 52 to 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Netanyahu’s allies were projected to win about 50 seats, short of the 61 required for a majority.
Netanyahu’s Likud remained the largest individual party, with 24 to 25 projected seats in the three principal exit polls. Eisenkot’s Yashar party was projected to take 21 to 23.
Arab Parties Could Be Decisive
Arab parties were projected to win the remaining 17 to 18 seats, potentially giving them a decisive role in determining who can form a government. The main political blocs had previously ruled out full coalition agreements with them.
One possible outcome is a minority government that Arab lawmakers support in selected votes or allow to take office by abstaining in a confidence vote. Neither side currently has a guaranteed path to power.
Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest level recorded at the close of polls since 1999. More than 5.6 million people cast ballots, according to election officials.
Final Count Could Change the Balance
The Central Elections Committee began counting ballots after polls closed, but the first published figures covered only a small share of votes. The final distribution could change after ballots from military personnel and other voters who cast ballots outside regular polling stations are included.
Official results are expected in the coming days. President Isaac Herzog will then consult parliamentary factions and ask the candidate he believes has the best chance of assembling a majority to form a government.
The candidate will have 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to build a coalition. If negotiations fail, the mandate can pass to another candidate. Another election could be required if no government can be formed. Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister until a new government takes office.
The vote was Israel’s first parliamentary election since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, and the wars that followed in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. It served as a judgment on the government’s conduct during a prolonged regional conflict, but the political outcome remains unresolved.
The projections and broader political context were also reported by The Associated Press and Reuters.
Vesti Baku