Israel’s most recent parliamentary election has produced a fragmented result that leaves the formation of a new government uncertain. The 120‑seat Knesset is now divided as follows: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud bloc holds 27 seats, the opposition coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has 21 seats, and the remaining 48 seats are held by a mix of other opposition parties. Two Arab‑led parties—Joint List and Ra’am—together secured 19 seats, a record that is almost double the number they won in the previous Knesset. A majority requires 61 seats. The Arab parties’ 19 seats could, in theory, give the opposition a comfortable majority, but most Zionist parties in the opposition bloc, with the exception of the Democrats, have publicly rejected any coalition with Joint List or Ra’am, according to The Times of Israel. Likud’s seat count fell sharply from 68 in the previous Knesset to 27, a loss of 41 seats. The opposition bloc’s 48 seats represent a significant gain, but still short of a majority. The election, held on 1 November, saw a turnout of 77.9 %, the highest in several decades, with 5,716,665 votes cast. Results were announced by the election committee on the night of 2 November and will be formally handed over to President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday. Under Israeli law, the president will meet with all party leaders to recommend a candidate to form a government. The first nominee has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible two‑week extension. If that attempt fails, a new nominee may be given up to 28 days. The process could therefore extend beyond two months. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have stated that they intend to form the next government. President Herzog has urged the parties to avoid another election. The new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on 10 November, regardless of how the coalition negotiations unfold.
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