Netanyahu’s camp secured 53 seats, while the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats. Arab parties secured a combined 19 seats. Israel’s parliament has a total of 120 seats, and any party or alliance needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers to form a government.
The Election Commission has finalised the results and submitted them to President Isaac Herzog. The commission found no evidence of electoral fraud that could have affected the outcome. Following the announcement of the final results, Herzog has begun consultations with leaders of all political parties. After these discussions, he will give the mandate to form a government to the leader considered most likely to secure majority support.
During the consultations, representatives of each party are being asked which leader they support for the position of prime minister. The opposition alliance is demanding that Eisenkot be given the opportunity to form the next government. Netanyahu, meanwhile, is working to secure backing from his former allies to retain power.
The biggest challenge for Netanyahu remains securing the numbers required for a parliamentary majority. His alliance has 53 seats, leaving him eight lawmakers short of the required 61. The United Torah Judaism Party (UJT), which has seven seats, is part of Netanyahu’s camp. Its position could therefore prove important in his efforts to form the next government.
According to media reports, Netanyahu’s team is holding discussions with UJT leaders. However, the party has not yet clarified its position. If it recommends supporting Netanyahu, the move could strengthen his bid to form the government.
Eisenkot Also Needs Support from Arab Parties
The opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot has secured 48 seats and needs the backing of another 13 lawmakers to reach the majority mark. Arab parties hold a combined 19 seats, including Ra'am and the Joint List.
Ra'am has recommended Eisenkot for the prime minister's position, raising expectations that he could receive the support of 56 lawmakers. However, this figure also falls short of the 61 seats required to form a government.
Amid the ongoing political negotiations, President Isaac Herzog has appealed to all parties to work together and find a way to establish a government. He said no side should insist on fulfilling all its promises and stressed that political parties would have to make compromises to prevent the country from facing another election.
With neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot currently commanding the required parliamentary majority, the next government's formation will depend heavily on the decisions of smaller parties and the outcome of the ongoing consultations.
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