Israel election leaves Netanyahu short of majority as Likud bloc wins 53 seats

Jerusalem: Israel’s 2026 general election has produced a fragmented parliament, with no political bloc securing the 61 seats needed to form a government. Final results released by the Central Elections Committee show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc with 53 seats, the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party with 48, and Arab parties holding the remaining 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

The result represents a major setback for Netanyahu’s coalition, whose parties together held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset. Although his bloc remains the largest, it falls well short of a parliamentary majority.

The Central Elections Committee is expected to submit the official results to President Isaac Herzog on November 4 after completing its review of complaints and reported errors. Herzog will then consult party leaders, who will recommend their preferred candidate for the task of forming the next government.

The newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. However, coalition negotiations are expected to be difficult and could drag on for more than two months, as neither Netanyahu’s camp nor the opposition appears close to assembling a majority.

Voter turnout reached 77.9 per cent, one of the highest levels recorded in decades. The election was the first held since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, with security, governance and the country’s political direction dominating the campaign.

Earlier this week, Herzog urged political leaders to act responsibly during coalition talks and avoid pushing the country into another election. “We must do everything we can to avoid another round of elections,” he said, calling on party leaders to enter negotiations with an open mind.

Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have claimed they are positioned to form the next government. Addressing supporters after the vote, Netanyahu said the right wing held a “great majority” among Israel’s “Zionist public” and called for a strong right-wing government. He also criticised any prospective cooperation with Arab parties, describing it as a “shame.”

The election outcome leaves Israel facing a prolonged and uncertain period of government formation, with the balance of power likely to depend on negotiations involving smaller parties and the Arab bloc.

(Inputs from IANS)