Netanyahu wins Israel elections, but his coalition falls short of a majority

Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party secured victory in Israel's recent legislative elections, but his coalition failed to achieve the necessary majority to govern. With over 66% of the votes counted, Likud projected to win 28 seats out of 120, while Yashar, led by Eisenkot, was projected to win 21 seats. Netanyahu's party has won the most votes this time, but it has fallen short of its 32 seats from four years ago.

His ultra-nationalist and religious coalition partners have also lagged behind in terms of seat gains. This situation makes it impossible for the bloc to reach the 61-seat majority required to form a government. The anti-Netanyahu bloc, led by Eisenkot and his allies, holds 48 seats, and the Arab electoral lists together would hold a combined 16 seats.

These elections, the first since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2023, saw a 77% voter turnout, an unusually high figure in the past 25 years. Netanyahu declared his intention to form a "strong, national, right-wing government," emphasizing the right-wing bloc's majority among the Zionist public. However, Netanyahu's coalition partners, including the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, far-right Jewish Power, and Religious Zionism, have not expanded their electoral bases.

The opposition, led by Eisenkot and his diverse group of parties, stands at 48 seats and is eager to build a "Zionist, stable government that is good for all citizens of Israel." The outcome of this election will likely lead to weeks of political negotiations, with Arab parties playing a crucial role in forming a future government.