Israel’s general election has concluded with exit polls suggesting a deadlocked race, leaving neither incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition challenger Gadi Eisenkot with a clear path to a majority government. The vote, the first held since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, is widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership and his handling of the subsequent conflicts.
According to various exit polls, the two rival blocs—Netanyahu’s coalition and the "change bloc" led by Eisenkot’s newly formed Yashar party—are neck and neck, with some projections showing them tied at 51 seats each. While Netanyahu’s Likud party is expected to remain the largest single party in the 120-seat Knesset, both camps have fallen short of the 61 seats required to form a majority. Notably, Arab Israeli parties have seen a surge in support, with projections indicating they could secure a record 17 to 18 seats.
Addressing supporters at his party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Eisenkot claimed the results signaled a "vote of no confidence" in the current government, stating, "The public decided in favour of change." Meanwhile, the Likud camp has remained largely quiet as official vote counting begins.
The path to a new government remains uncertain. Because no party has ever won an outright majority in Israel, the country relies on coalition building. Following the confirmation of official results, President Isaac Herzog will consult with party leaders to invite the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a governing coalition. This process often involves weeks or even months of negotiations. If these efforts fail, the country could face the prospect of further elections, a scenario that occurred five times between 2019 and 2022.
Official results are currently being tallied by the Central Elections Committee, though the process is expected to take several days due to the high volume of absentee ballots, particularly from the military. Final official results are not expected until November 4.
