Netanyahu and Eisenkot Both Face Coalition Hurdles as Count Continues

Israel’s Central Elections Committee reported on Wednesday that vote counting was still underway, with final results projected for Thursday. Partial data indicates that neither the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the centrist bloc led by former general Gadi Eisenkot has secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. This outcome mirrors the political deadlock seen between 2019 and 2022, a period that saw five separate elections before a governing coalition was established.

The election campaign centered on security concerns, specifically the conflict with Iran and the management of the war in Gaza. Voter turnout reached 77.7% by Tuesday night, the highest rate since 1999 according to the committee. Exit polls suggest strong performance by Arab-Israeli parties, a demographic factor that complicates coalition building. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have previously ruled out partnering with Arab parties, creating a potential gap in seat counts for either leader.

Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, claimed a mandate for a right-wing government in a post-election speech. He stated that Likud is the largest party and argued that forming a government backed by anti-Zionist Arab parties would endanger the state. Eisenkot, heading the Yashar party, countered that the vote marked the end of the Netanyahu era. He described the incumbent as a transitional figure without a mandate and urged supporters to view the result as a rejection of the current leadership.

If official results confirm that no single bloc holds a majority, President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with party leaders. He will assign the task of forming a government to the leader he deems most likely to succeed, typically the head of the largest party. Netanyahu will remain as caretaker prime minister during these negotiations, a process that can extend for several weeks. Failure to reach an agreement could trigger another election cycle.

The current political landscape follows a period of instability that concluded with Netanyahu forming a 64-seat coalition, widely viewed as the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. The upcoming talks will determine whether the high turnout and shifted party balances produce a stable administration or return the country to the ballot box. Both leaders are now focused on securing enough partners to cross the 61-seat threshold.

The counting process began after polls closed at 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The Central Elections Committee has not yet released the final seat distribution, but the partial results have already set the stage for complex coalition talks. The outcome will hinge on whether either leader can bridge the gap with smaller parties or if the Arab-Israeli parties become the deciding factor despite the previous reluctance of both major blocs to include them.