Netanyahu's Likud retains lead in Israel, Eisenkot's Yashar takes second place

Preliminary parliamentary election results

According to data from the Central Election Commission, released after processing 76.8% of ballots, the Likud party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remains the leader in the Israeli parliamentary elections. The political force is polling 27% of the votes. In second place with a result of 20% is the opposition party Yashar, led by former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

Difficulty in forming a majority

To secure a controlling majority in the 120-seat Knesset, a coalition needs 61 mandates. According to preliminary estimates, neither bloc—whether Netanyahu's allies nor his opponents—reaches this threshold on its own.

The hypothetical bloc of political forces supporting Netanyahu and potentially able to join a coalition with Likud currently holds 54 seats. The bloc of opposition parties counts 47 seats. This means that Arab political forces, which account for approximately 19 mandates, will play a decisive role in forming the government.

Changes in Arab party representation

According to updated counting data, Arab parties have strengthened their positions: their likely number of seats in the Knesset has increased from 18 to 19. These mandates may become key to achieving the majority required for the government.