Israel Election: Netanyahu’s Likud-Led Bloc Wins 53 Seats, Opposition 48; Arab Parties Secure 19

Israel’s 2026 general election has resulted in a hung Knesset, with no political bloc securing the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority. According to the final results released by the Central Elections Committee (CEC) on Friday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc won 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party secured 48. Arab factions accounted for the remaining 19 seats.

The outcome represents a significant decline for Netanyahu’s coalition, whose constituent parties held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset, The Times of Israel reported.

The official results are scheduled to be submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on November 4, after the CEC completes its final checks into reported errors and complaints.

Herzog will then hold consultations with the leaders of political parties, who will recommend their preferred candidate to form the next government.

Despite the uncertainty over government formation, the newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.

Forming the next government is expected to be a challenging process and could take more than two months, as neither political camp is close to the 61-seat threshold needed for a majority.

Final voter turnout stood at 77.9 per cent of eligible voters, the highest level recorded in decades.

On Wednesday, Herzog urged political leaders to make every effort to avoid another election, asking those involved in government formation negotiations to approach the process with an open mind.

“We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections. So I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind,” The Times of Israel quoted Herzog as saying.

Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have maintained that they should lead the next government.

Earlier this week, speaking to supporters at the Likud election headquarters in Jerusalem after voting concluded, Netanyahu said the right wing commanded a “great majority” among Israel’s “Zionist public” and called for the formation of a “strong right-wing government”.

He also criticised parties willing to cooperate with Arab parties, describing such an arrangement as a “shame”.

The election, held on Tuesday, was Israel’s first since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. It took place amid significant changes in the country’s political landscape and voter priorities since the previous election in 2022.

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