Key facts
- Exit polls suggest a narrow lead for the opposition bloc with 52 seats to the governing bloc's 50.
- Neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot is expected to secure the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.
- Arab parties are projected to win 14 seats and could hold the balance of power.
Israel appears headed for another period of political uncertainty after a polarizing general election, with exit polls suggesting a near deadlock between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot. The results could trigger weeks of difficult coalition negotiations, leaving the country without a new government and potentially forcing another election.
Initial exit polls and projections from Israeli broadcasters suggest a narrow lead for the opposition, with 52 seats to the governing bloc’s 50. However, the margin is too small to draw firm conclusions. Netanyahu's Likud party performed better than expected, outperforming the party of his main rival, Eisenkot.
Neither bloc is expected to secure the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, and Arab parties are projected to win 14 seats, potentially holding the balance of power. Issues such as military conscription and the role of the far right threaten to complicate coalition formation.