Elections in Israel 2026: The Many Lives of Benjamin Netanyahu

Likud is Israel’s right-wing political party led by Benjamin Netanyahu. In the reported election, it remained the strongest individual party. That matters because it gives Netanyahu the best starting position for forming a government, but it does not automatically give him control of parliament.

Israel’s Knesset has 120 seats, and a government normally needs support from at least 61 members. A party can win more seats than every rival while still holding fewer than 61. It must then negotiate with other parties, often trading policy influence or government posts for support.

The article says Netanyahu’s coalition no longer has a majority, while Likud remains strongest. This creates political uncertainty. Netanyahu can try to rebuild a majority, govern with shifting support, or seek another political arrangement. The strongest party therefore has an advantage, not an automatic mandate to govern alone.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats. A simple majority is 61 seats. That threshold gives a government enough parliamentary backing to pass measures and survive important votes. It is the basic arithmetic behind coalition politics in Israel.

If Netanyahu’s coalition falls below 61 supporters, it cannot rely on automatic backing for legislation or confidence-related votes. Partners may demand concessions, abstain, or vote against the government. Even a small disagreement can become decisive when the governing bloc lacks a majority.

The article describes exactly this political problem: Netanyahu’s coalition no longer has a majority, but Likud is still the strongest party. That leaves him weakened but not necessarily finished. He may try to attract new partners, preserve temporary support, or face pressure for a new government or fresh election.

Benjamin Netanyahu is Israel’s prime minister and the leader associated with Likud. The article presents him as the central figure in the election and in the effort to keep a government in power. His political survival matters because the coalition he leads no longer has a majority.

In Israel’s parliamentary system, the leader of the strongest party often tries first to assemble a governing coalition. Netanyahu must therefore negotiate with other parties and secure enough parliamentary support. His role is not simply to win the most seats. He must also convert that result into a workable government.

The article says Netanyahu has successfully appealed to fears about Iran, and many people still trust him despite the October 7 Hamas massacres occurring during his term. Likud remains strongest, giving him leverage. But he still needs partners or dependable outside support to govern effectively.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out massacres in Israel. The source does not provide details about the victims, locations, or military response. It does establish the political fact that the attacks happened while Benjamin Netanyahu was prime minister.

That timing matters because voters can connect a government’s record with a major national security failure or crisis. A prime minister in office during such an event may face questions about responsibility, preparedness, and leadership. These are political consequences even when public opinion does not move uniformly.

The article highlights the surprising result: many Israelis still trust Netanyahu despite the attacks occurring during his tenure. It also says he successfully focused political attention on fear of Iran. This helps explain why Likud remains the strongest party, while the broader coalition has lost its majority.

A governing coalition losing its majority weakens the government’s ability to act. It may struggle to pass laws, approve budgets, or maintain reliable support in the Knesset. Partners gain bargaining power because the government needs every available vote, while opponents gain opportunities to block or embarrass it.

For example, a small coalition partner can threaten to leave unless Netanyahu changes policy or grants a political demand. The key mechanism is parliamentary arithmetic: when the government has fewer than 61 dependable supporters, absent members, defections, or abstentions can decide a vote. A government may still function, but less predictably.

The article says Netanyahu’s coalition no longer has a majority, although Likud remains strongest. He therefore faces a choice between rebuilding support and governing under constant pressure. If neither works, coalition collapse, a new government, or an early election becomes more plausible.

A missing majority does not automatically remove a prime minister. Netanyahu could negotiate with parties outside his current coalition, persuade lawmakers to join, or win issue-by-issue support without a formal coalition. In parliamentary systems, a minority government can sometimes survive if opponents do not unite against it.

Another route is a formal change of government. A rival bloc could try to assemble its own majority, while constitutional procedures may allow the head of state to give a politician a mandate to form a government. If no stable arrangement emerges, parliament can be dissolved under the relevant legal process and an election held. Exact procedures depend on Israeli law and current parliamentary votes.

The article does not identify which route will happen. It says Netanyahu has used fear of Iran effectively, remains leader of the strongest party, and could still stay in power despite losing his coalition majority.

Israel uses a parliamentary system. Voters elect the Knesset, and the government must be able to command parliamentary support. The prime minister leads the government, but governing power depends on maintaining enough backing in the legislature. This links elections directly to negotiations among parties.

The key mechanism is seat distribution. A single party needs at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats for a majority. When no party reaches that number, several parties join a coalition. They share governing responsibilities and agree on common policies. Coalition partners can also withdraw support, making the government unstable.

This explains the article’s central tension. Likud is the strongest party, but Netanyahu’s coalition no longer has a majority. He therefore remains politically important without having guaranteed control. His ability to stay prime minister depends on finding support, maintaining agreements, or surviving votes with less than a formal majority.