Domestic

Israel votes without clear winner as Netanyahu leads but coalition remains uncertain

Israeli parliamentary elections produce no decisive victor, with Netanyahu's Likud remaining the largest single party but neither his bloc nor the opposition securing the 61 seats needed for government.

28 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Israel votes without clear winner as Netanyahu leads but coalition remains uncertain — Archive photoPhoto: Jorgebarrios · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

With more than half the votes counted, Netanyahu's political bloc leads but falls short of the necessary majority in parliament. Exit polls show a political deadlock between the governing coalition and the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, the prime minister's main challenger. According to various media projections, both camps are running roughly neck and neck.

Netanyahu's Likud party remains the strongest single party according to exit polls, but that is insufficient for coalition formation. Eisenkot's bloc shows ahead in several exit polls. However, the opposition also fails to reach the required majority of 120 seats in the Knesset.

The surprise winners of the election are the Arab parties, which made significant gains. Nevertheless, the major political blocs show no willingness to form a coalition with them, substantially complicating government formation.

According to multiple sources, Netanyahu remains in office during coalition negotiations even without a new government already in place. Various news agencies expect this phase of government formation to drag on.

The first parliamentary election in Israel since October 7, 2023, did not clearly decide the country's political future. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot claim to have received a voter mandate. Which coalitions are possible and how long government formation will take remain unclear for now.

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