Israel election results: Netanyahu's Likud biggest party in Israel after all votes counted

Being the largest party means Likud won more seats than any other single party. It does not mean Netanyahu automatically controls the Knesset or can form a government. A governing coalition needs support from at least 61 of the 120 seats.

Likud is projected to win 27 seats. Netanyahu’s wider bloc reaches 53 by combining Likud with United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, the Religious Zionist Party, and Shas. Those partners give him the strongest single alliance, but their total remains below the majority line.

Netanyahu must therefore persuade additional parties to join, support, or tolerate his government. The opposition bloc has 48 seats, while Arab parties hold 19. Coalition negotiations could produce a government, a minority administration, or another election. The article also notes that several opposition leaders have ruled out joining a Netanyahu-led coalition.

The final count leaves Netanyahu’s bloc ahead, but without enough seats to govern independently. It has 53 seats, compared with 48 for the opposition bloc. Because a Knesset majority requires 61 seats, Netanyahu’s side is eight seats short, while the opposition is 13 short.

The Arab parties won 19 seats altogether, their highest total in the result described. The Joint List was projected to win 11 seats, and Ra’am was projected to win eight. Their combined number is large enough to matter in coalition arithmetic, especially if one side seeks outside support.

The figures point to political deadlock rather than a clear winner. Netanyahu’s bloc leads, but it needs partners. The opposition also needs cooperation, potentially from Arab parties, to reach or survive a confidence vote. Coalition talks, a minority government, or another election remain possible.

The Knesset is Israel’s national legislature, or parliament. It has 120 seats, which is why 61 seats represent a majority. The article focuses on election results and coalition bargaining, rather than explaining the Knesset’s full constitutional powers.

In practical terms, a coalition holding 61 or more seats can usually pass ordinary legislation, approve budgets, and support the government in confidence votes. It can also organize parliamentary committees and advance its policy program. These powers depend on coalition discipline, since individual members can still disagree or leave.

The election produced no such majority. Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats, and the opposition has 48. That leaves Arab parties with 19 seats as potentially decisive in some votes. The president must consult Knesset factions before assigning someone the task of forming a government, making the parliament central to the next stage.

When no party or bloc wins a majority, government formation becomes a coalition-building process. By law, President Isaac Herzog must consult the Knesset factions before deciding who receives the task of forming a government. The nominee then seeks enough political support to govern.

The largest party may have an advantage, but it is not guaranteed the assignment or success. In this result, Likud is the largest party with 27 seats, while Netanyahu’s bloc has 53. The nominee must negotiate with other parties, offering policy commitments or roles in exchange for support.

The article describes several possible alignments. A unity government involving Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot remains possible, though Eisenkot previously rejected serving under Netanyahu. The opposition is also discussing a government with Arab-party support. If negotiations fail, the country could face a minority government or another election.

If coalition talks fail, Israel may not get a government with a clear 61-seat majority. The article identifies two main alternatives: a minority government that wins a Knesset confidence vote with outside support, or another election after continued deadlock.

One possible minority arrangement would have the opposition rely on Arab parties. Arab lawmakers could support the opposition in a confidence vote without formally joining the government. Golan has called for the opposition to govern with Arab parties, while members of those parties want to prevent Netanyahu from remaining in office.

That route faces serious resistance. Liberman rejected sitting with Arab parties or Netanyahu, and most other opposition leaders have also drawn a redline against Arab participation. A unity government remains possible, but disagreements could block it. The Shin Bet investigation into suspected foreign influence may further complicate cooperation.

Arab parties matter because their 19 seats could change who reaches or survives a parliamentary confidence vote. Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition has 61 seats. Their support could therefore provide the missing votes for an opposition-led government, or at least allow a minority government to take office.

The opposition bloc has 48 seats. If Arab parties supported it, the combined total would exceed the 61-seat threshold. Golan has called for the opposition to form a government with Arab parties, and Arab lawmakers have urged action to prevent Netanyahu from remaining in office. Support could be formal or external.

Political opposition makes that outcome uncertain. Liberman said he would not sit with Arab parties, and all other opposition leaders except Golan had drawn a redline against their participation. The Shin Bet investigation into suspected foreign interference may also reduce the likelihood of relying on Arab-party support.

Israel’s proportional-representation system allocates Knesset seats according to parties’ vote shares rather than awarding all representation to one local winner. The 3.25% electoral threshold means a party must clear that level to receive seats. This helps explain why several parties enter parliament and why governments usually require coalitions.

The election illustrates both effects. Likud is the largest party with 27 seats, but Netanyahu’s five-party bloc totals only 53. The opposition combines four parties for 48 seats, while the Joint List and Ra’am together hold 19. Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party and Yoaz Hendel’s The Reservists-Economic party fell short of the threshold.

Because seats are distributed among several parties, no side has a governing majority here. Leaders must negotiate across party lines, including over whether Arab parties can support a government. If bargaining fails, the fragmented result could lead to a minority government or another election.