Netanyahu's bloc leads Israel election but falls short of Knesset majority
Partial results put Netanyahu's bloc on 53 Knesset seats and Eisenkot's on 48, with Arab-led parties heading for a record 19 and coalition talks ahead.
The story in focus
Partial results from Israel's election show Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc leading with 53 of 120 Knesset seats, short of the 61 needed for a majority. Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc is set for 48, while Arab-led parties are on course for 19 seats, leaving protracted coalition talks ahead.
- With 99% of ballots counted, Netanyahu's Likud and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies were on track for 53 seats; Eisenkot's bloc for 48.
- Arab-led parties were heading for an unprecedented 19 seats and could act as kingmakers, but all but one Jewish party have ruled out working with them.
- Turnout was 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades, according to President Isaac Herzog.
- Up to 480,000 absentee ballots, including soldiers' votes, began being counted on Thursday and could shift final seat totals.
- Herzog is expected to receive official results next week before consulting factions on who should form a government.
Results and the majority threshold
With 99% of ballots counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies were on track to win 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, according to BBC partial results. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties were set for 48.
Neither Jewish bloc looked likely to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority government, leaving coalition negotiations as the decisive stage. Both leaders said they would try to form a governing coalition.
Arab-led parties and absentee ballots
Arab-led parties were on course to win an unprecedented 19 seats, which could make them kingmakers. However, all but one of the Jewish parties have pledged not to work with them, and Eisenkot has attached conditions to such an alliance that the Arab parties reject.
Officials on Thursday began counting as many as 480,000 absentee ballots from groups including soldiers, diplomats and hospital patients. These votes may change the final seat allocation under Israel's proportional representation system. President Isaac Herzog said he expected official results next week, after which he would consult every faction. He praised turnout of 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades, and urged parties to avoid another election.
Why could the Arab-led parties be decisive despite no clear winner?
They were on course for an unprecedented 19 seats, potentially enough to give a Jewish bloc the 61 needed for a majority. But all but one Jewish party have ruled out working with them, complicating any deal.
Sources & further reading
- Coalition talks loom in Israel as Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs set to fall short of majority ↗The Guardian
- Netanyahu's bloc leading Israel election but short of majority, partial results show ↗BBC News
Help keep the record accurate. Send a correction.
