Israeli Election Count Stalls; Neither Leader Commands Majority
Exit polls show a deadlocked parliament, forcing President Herzog to choose which party leader gets first shot at forming a coalition.
By Layla Fontaine ·
Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61 seats required to govern Israel, according to partial results from the Central Elections Committee. The count remained ongoing on Wednesday morning, with final numbers expected to arrive on Thursday. Polls had closed at 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday following a nationwide turnout of 77.7%, the highest recorded since 1999.
Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party, and Eisenkot, who heads the centrist Yashar party, both declared victory in the hours after polls closed. Netanyahu addressed supporters on Tuesday night, stating that Likud emerged as the largest party in the nation. He argued that Israel needed a strong, right-wing government and warned against allying with anti-Zionist Arab parties. He cited a specific historical opportunity to address the threat from Iran alongside President Donald Trump.
Eisenkot, the former chief of the Israel Defense Forces, presented a different interpretation of the vote. Speaking at his party headquarters, he declared the era of Netanyahu's tenure over. He characterized the previous administration as a coalition of failure that had lost public trust. Eisenkot labeled Netanyahu a transitional prime minister lacking a mandate and warned him not to use national security for political gain.
The campaign focused heavily on security concerns, including the conflict with Iran and Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza. The outcome now hinges on whether either leader can assemble a governing coalition. If no clear winner emerges, President Isaac Herzog will consult with party leaders. He will offer the task of forming a government to the leader he believes has the best chance of success, typically the head of the largest party. Netanyahu will serve as caretaker prime minister during these negotiations, which can span several weeks.
Voters in Arab-Israeli parties showed strong support in the exit polls. This success creates a potential path to a majority for either bloc, though both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have previously ruled out coalitions with these parties. Netanyahu suggested in his post-election speech that including Arab parties would endanger the state. Eisenkot, conversely, framed the high turnout among these voters as a signal for change.
Israel has experienced similar political gridlock in the past. Between 2019 and 2022, voters cast ballots five times as parties struggled to form stable governments. That period ended when Netanyahu secured 64 of the 120 Knesset seats, forming what observers described as the most right-wing government in Israeli history. The current count follows a similar trajectory of uncertainty.
The Central Elections Committee released the partial data on Wednesday. The figures indicated that both major coalitions fell short of the necessary majority. Party leaders will now begin the process of seeking partners. Failure to form a viable government could lead to another general election, adding to the cycle of frequent voting seen in recent years.
