Israel Election: 77.7% Turnout Marks 20-Year High as Netanyahu Bloc Leads
Partial results show Netanyahu’s alliance with 53 Knesset seats and a rival bloc at 48, leaving Arab parties as potential kingmakers in a deadlock.
By Anthony Foster ·
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a lead in the country’s general election, but his coalition lacks the 61 seats required to govern. With 85% of ballots counted, Likud and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies are projected to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. The opposition bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, is on track for 48 seats.
The election drew a record 77.7% voter turnout, the highest level in more than two decades. President Isaac Herzog praised the participation rate during a meeting in Jerusalem, calling it a badge of honour for Israeli society. He noted that the high turnout demonstrates a deep desire for democracy in the country. Herzog said he expected official results next week and plans to consult with all factions to invite the leader with the best chance of forming a government.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot claim the right to form a coalition. Eisenkot told supporters in Tel Aviv that the public had spoken in favour of change, despite exit polls showing a narrowing gap. He stated that the coalition of failure has lost trust and that he would work to translate the people's decision into a Zionist government. Netanyahu, speaking from Likud headquarters in Jerusalem, declared his right-wing bloc had won a great majority. He argued that it is forbidden to endanger Israel by forming a government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties.
Arab-led parties are poised to win 19 seats, making them key to breaking the potential deadlock. All but one Jewish party have pledged not to work with them, yet the Democrats party leader Yair Golan wrote on X that there is an opportunity to form a change government in partnership with Arab parties. He added that the country has no future if it does not stop being afraid. Yousef Jabareen, chairman of the Joint List, said the party is ready to pave the way to oust the Netanyahu government through a genuine Jewish-Arab partnership.
Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List, expressed hope that the numbers will allow his party and the Change Bloc to secure the necessary 61 seats. Final results may take another day or two to confirm, as between 430,000 and 480,000 absentee ballots from soldiers and diplomats remain uncounted. If no coalition forms, Israel will face another election. The vote took place on Tuesday, marking the first election since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
