In Israel, Election Night Does Not Pick the Prime Minister
The vote shows which side wins the most seats, but party leaders decide who leads.
Up First from NPR · Democrats Lead In NPR Poll, Preparations For Election Challenge, Israel Voting BeginsOutside Tel Aviv, voters at one voting site described this election as vital. Turnout is expected to top 70% of voting age Israelis, with some Israelis flying home from abroad to cast ballots in what polls suggest will be a very close race. Israelis have not judged their leaders at the ballot box since Hamas struck three years ago on October 7, setting off fighting that spread to Gaza and drew in Lebanon and Iran.
Many parties are running, and voters choose among them. The vote answers two separate questions: which side wins the most seats in Parliament, Israel's legislature, and who becomes prime minister. The two leading candidates for prime minister are Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's far-right and longest-serving prime minister, and Gadi Eisenkot, a onetime head of the armed forces who served in Netanyahu's war cabinet and now heads an opposition group on the center right vowing greater diplomacy, reduced extremism, and an end to Israel's growing isolation.
Itamar Ariel, a Netanyahu supporter, said Israel has problems but Netanyahu cannot be replaced, and that for him the choice is security for Israel. Others say the security failures that allowed October 7 to happen are reason to vote Netanyahu out, and want a full investigation, which Netanyahu has blocked. Voters also cite domestic concerns, not always the same ones that draw attention outside the country, including the cost of living crisis and the debate over drafting Orthodox Jews into service.
Election night settles only the first question, because seats are counted first while the prime minister is chosen later in coalition talks. By Wednesday morning, there should be a clearer picture of which side, meaning a group of parties such as Netanyahu's or the opposition's, holds the largest share of seats in Parliament. Counting can drag on for days after that.
Who becomes prime minister, the second question, is settled separately. The parties negotiate among themselves, over days and possibly weeks, to see who can assemble enough support to lead, and the prime minister is whoever can command that negotiated coalition. So until those talks produce a deal, the winner of the top job remains unknown.
Questions people ask
What are parties haggling over, exactly?
Israel's parliament is called the Knesset and has 120 seats. A government normally needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers, so if no single party wins a majority on its own, several parties must agree to back one leader together.
Who formally chooses the prime minister?
After the votes are counted, Israel's president usually asks the party leader with the best chance of assembling a majority to try to form a government. That leader then bargains with smaller parties over cabinet posts and policies, and becomes prime minister only if a coalition deal holds.
Why is turnout expected to be over 70%?
High turnout is common in Israel, where voting is seen as both a civic duty and a security decision, and compulsory military service keeps national issues close to daily life. This vote is also unusually emotional because it is the first since October 7, with the wars, investigations, and cost of living all on the ballot.