Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc led the provisional count after Israel’s October 27 election, but with about 90% of votes counted, it was projected to win 53 seats, short of the 61 needed for a majority in parliament.
Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition alliance was projected to win 48 seats in the 120-member parliament. That left both major blocs without enough support to govern alone. The Arab-led Joint List and Ra’am parties were projected to win 19 seats combined, a record total.
Their combined seats could give them a key role in coalition talks. The result differed from most pre-election polls and initial exit polls, which had put Eisenkot’s alliance ahead. The vote was widely seen as a test of Netanyahu’s leadership after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and the wars that followed.
The count remained provisional, and hundreds of thousands of special ballots still had to be counted. Those ballots included votes by soldiers and diplomats, and could affect how seats are allocated. Neither bloc had secured a clear path to forming a government.
The Arab parties’ possible role adds another complication to negotiations. President Isaac Herzog is expected to consult party leaders after official results are released. Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister in the meantime.