Israel Has Held Six Elections Since 2019
Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition won enough seats, even with turnout at a two-decade high.
Reuters World News · Israel rival claims, Bolsonaro flees and Mbappe's apologyIsrael has now voted six times since 2019, and the latest looks headed for the same deadlock. With votes still being counted, sitting prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, Likud, with its allies, looks set to earn the most votes but short of the seats needed to govern. A majority is 61 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, leaving an opening for opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former general.
Turnout was the largest in two decades or more, and the two Arab parties gained. Arab turnout is usually low, in part because many feel their vote will not count, and this time it surged to a record.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have said they will not work with those Arab parties.
President Isaac Herzog, whose role is ceremonial, will meet each party leader and seek a nominee for prime minister. That person must bargain with each party. If no one succeeds, Israelis will probably vote again.
Questions people ask
How does Israel pick a prime minister?
Voters do not vote directly for prime minister. They vote for parties in the Knesset, Israel's 120-seat parliament, and the president then asks party leaders whom they support. The candidate with the best chance tries to assemble a coalition with at least 61 seats, and becomes prime minister if the coalition holds.
Why is it so hard to win a majority?
Israel uses nationwide proportional representation with a low entry threshold, so many small parties win seats. No single party usually comes close to a majority, so the winner must persuade several smaller parties, often with very different demands, to join a coalition. When those talks fail, the government collapses and a new election is called.
Why did Arab parties do so well this time?
Arab citizens of Israel, most of Palestinian heritage, have often voted at lower rates. This time turnout surged overall, and Arab parties benefited. A major issue was a significant rise in violent crime in Arab communities under the current Netanyahu government, which Arab voters want addressed.