Israel’s Election Leaves Coalition Outcome Unclear
Initial exit polls from Israel’s October 27 election suggested that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot had won the 61 parliamentary seats needed to form a government. The vote was Israel’s first national election since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the war in Gaza that followed.
Turnout was high. Israel’s Central Elections Committee reported that 66.7% of eligible voters had cast ballots by 6 p.m., the highest turnout at that hour since 1973. Netanyahu’s Likud party asked to extend voting beyond the scheduled 10 p.m. closing time, but the committee declined.
Netanyahu campaigned with far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies. Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party was part of an opposition that also included former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, opposition leader Yair Lapid and several other parties. Pre-election polling indicated that smaller parties could determine whether either camp can assemble a governing coalition. Both blocs have ruled out alliances with Arab-led parties, although turnout appeared strong in several Arab-majority towns.
The campaign centered on security and accountability after the 2023 attacks, the Gaza war and Israel’s wider regional conflicts. Other issues included military-service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, Netanyahu’s proposed judicial changes and his ongoing corruption trial. Netanyahu has called the case politically motivated and highlighted an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump. Eisenkot has pledged to end the de facto military-service exemptions.
Final vote counts are expected by October 30, with official results scheduled for November 4. President Isaac Herzog will then consult party leaders before asking a candidate to form a government. Coalition talks could take weeks or months. If those efforts fail, Netanyahu’s government could continue in a caretaker capacity until another election.