Israel election results: Netanyahu bloc holds lead with double envelopes to be counted overnight

Double-envelope ballots are special votes for eligible Israelis who cannot vote at their designated polling station. The article names soldiers, hospital patients, prisoners, and certain election workers. Their ballots are placed in an additional envelope so election officials can check them separately from ordinary polling-station votes.

The separate process helps prevent someone from voting both at an assigned station and through a special arrangement. Officials can verify the voter’s eligibility and polling records before opening and counting the ballot. This takes longer than counting regular ballots at the voter’s designated station.

That delay mattered in this election. The official count reached 90.2%, but it still excluded double-envelope ballots. They were due to be counted throughout the night and could significantly affect the final seat totals. Because both major blocs were below the 61-seat majority mark, even a small shift could influence coalition negotiations.

Israel’s Knesset has 120 seats, so a party or alliance needs at least 61 seats to hold an absolute majority. That threshold matters because a government with 61 supporters can normally pass votes without depending on outside parties for every decision. Neither main bloc reached it in the projection described by the article.

The Central Elections Committee initially projected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc to win 53 seats. The opposition bloc was projected to win 48. Arab parties held the remaining projected strength, with the Joint List at 12 seats and Ra’am at seven, for a combined 19 seats.

These figures left the election unresolved. Netanyahu’s bloc was eight seats short of 61, while the opposition bloc was 13 seats short. The remaining double-envelope ballots could alter the totals. If neither side could assemble 61 reliable supporters, coalition negotiations, outside backing, or another election could become necessary.

Double-envelope ballots could change the final result because the published figures were not yet complete. Seats are assigned according to parties’ vote totals, so additional valid votes can alter which parties cross thresholds or how many seats each qualifying party receives. That can change the size of each political bloc.

For example, Netanyahu’s bloc was projected at 53 seats, while the opposition had 48. The Arab parties were projected at 19 combined seats. If late ballots moved seats toward one bloc, that bloc could become closer to 61 or improve its bargaining position. If a party fell below the required threshold, its votes might not translate into seats, affecting the balance further.

The article therefore treats the result as unsettled. The official count had reached 90.2%, excluding these ballots, which could have a significant effect. After counting, parties would still need negotiations, because neither bloc initially held an outright majority. Failure could lead to another election.

A coalition government is an administration supported by two or more parties that agree to share power and back a common governing program. Coalition partners usually negotiate ministerial positions, policy priorities, and rules for supporting the government in parliament. The arrangement lets parties govern without one party holding every seat needed for a majority.

Israel needed coalition talks because Netanyahu’s bloc was projected at 53 seats and the opposition bloc at 48. Both were below the 61-seat threshold in the 120-member Knesset. The Arab parties held a combined projected 19 seats, but relying on them was politically difficult. Most opposition leaders rejected including Arab parties, while a unity government involving Netanyahu and Eisenkot appeared unlikely.

The president must consult Knesset factions before assigning the task of forming a government. The chosen candidate then seeks enough support through coalition agreements or other parliamentary arrangements. President Isaac Herzog urged politicians to keep an open mind and avoid another election, but the article says deadlock could still lead to one.

A minority government is led by parties that hold fewer than 61 Knesset seats. It can still govern if other parties agree to support its formation, abstain, or back it on selected votes. Those outside parties do not necessarily join the cabinet. This arrangement depends on negotiated support rather than a permanent majority.

For example, a bloc with 53 seats could seek backing from some of the 19 projected Arab-party seats. If enough members support the government’s confidence vote, the governing bloc could take office while remaining smaller than 61 seats. Later, it would need to negotiate support for budgets, laws, and other confidence-related votes.

This possibility was politically controversial in the article. Yair Golan called for the opposition to form a government with Arab parties, saying the opposition had 65 seats including them. Other opposition leaders treated Arab participation in government as a redline. Thus, a minority route existed politically, but agreement on it was far from certain.

Israel’s president acts as the formal starting point for government formation after an election. The president consults representatives of the Knesset factions before deciding which politician should receive the task of forming a government. That person then tries to assemble enough parliamentary support through coalition negotiations or other agreements.

The article says President Isaac Herzog was expected to hold consultations at the President’s Residence. He also urged political leaders to approach negotiations with open minds. His stated goal was to help Israel avoid another election after both main blocs fell short of the 61-seat majority.

The president’s assignment does not guarantee success. The chosen politician must still persuade parties to support a government. In this election, unity involving Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot appeared unlikely, and opposition leaders disagreed over cooperation with Arab parties. If negotiations fail, the political deadlock could ultimately produce another election.

Under proportional representation, voters choose among separate parties, and each qualifying party receives a share of the Knesset seats broadly related to its vote share. Israel’s Knesset has 120 seats. This system allows several parties to win representation instead of giving every seat to the largest party.

The article illustrates the result clearly. Likud was projected to be the largest party with 26 seats, while Yashar had 21 and B’Yachad had 12. Other parties received smaller projected totals. Parties must reach the required 3.25% threshold to gain seats; Ofer Winter’s People of Israel and Yoaz Hendel’s The Reservists-Economic party were projected to fall short.

After qualifying parties receive seats, their totals form blocs for government-building. The system therefore produces coalition politics. Netanyahu’s bloc had 53 seats and the opposition 48, while Arab parties held 19 combined. Because no bloc reached 61, seat allocation led directly to negotiations and possible deadlock.