Will Netanyahu’s Coalition Struggle to Secure a Majority? Israel Election Results Spark Suspense

Israel’s parliamentary elections appear to have resulted in a hung parliament, with no political alliance close to securing the majority required to form a government. In the 120-member Knesset, a party or coalition needs at least 61 seats to command a majority. According to figures released by the country’s election authorities after 87 per cent of the votes had been counted, the Likud-led coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was leading with 53 seats. The opposition Yashar coalition, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, was projected to secure 48 seats, while the Arab political alliance, the Joint List, was leading in 19 seats. Vote counting was still underway, and the final results were yet to be announced.

With neither of the major blocs appearing to have enough seats to form a government independently, the Joint List could play a crucial role in the government formation process. According to exit poll estimates reported by i24 News, Netanyahu’s coalition could eventually secure around 55 seats, still short of the majority mark. Netanyahu has reportedly begun efforts to secure the numbers needed to form the next government, but has ruled out seeking support from the Arab alliance. He has maintained that the country should have a right-wing government. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump congratulated Netanyahu following the election results. The final political picture will become clearer once the remaining votes are counted and the seat distribution is confirmed.