Partial results from Israel's Central Elections Committee show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc of right-wing and religious parties maintaining a lead over the opposition. As of Thursday morning, Netanyahu's Likud party had secured a significant portion of the counted votes, positioning his bloc to potentially form the next governing coalition.
Netanyahu's bloc, which includes United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and Religious Zionism-Zehut, collectively held a percentage of the votes counted. In contrast, the opposition, led by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and including B'Yachad, the Democrats, and Yisrael Beiteinu, trailed behind. Early projections based on the partial results suggested Netanyahu's bloc could secure 53 seats in the Knesset, compared to 48 for the opposition and 19 for Arab parties, though these figures remain subject to change.
Netanyahu early Wednesday morning declared that the results unequivocally showed the Likud party as the largest in Israel and that the right-wing bloc held a clear majority. He emphasized the need to establish a strong national right-wing government, cautioning against relying on parties he described as "anti-Zionist."
Despite the lead, Netanyahu's bloc has not yet secured the 61 seats required to form a government. The process for government formation will begin after the official results are published on November 4. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will then consult with party leaders before tasking a lawmaker with forming a coalition. While the leader of the largest party is often given the first opportunity, it is not guaranteed.
President Herzog has urged all parties to approach the upcoming coalition consultations with an open mind to avoid a repeat election. He stated his commitment to doing everything possible to prevent further elections, a process that could take up to 90 days if a government cannot be formed.
This election marks Israel's first general election since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. The ongoing vote count and subsequent coalition negotiations will determine the composition of the 26th Knesset.