Israel faces weeks of coalition haggling as Netanyahu’s party claims election 'stolen'

The Knesset is Israel’s national parliament. Its 120 seats are filled by elected parties. A government needs support from at least 61 lawmakers, which is more than half the chamber. That support lets it pass laws, approve spending, and survive confidence votes. Without it, a government cannot reliably govern.

The election produced no majority. Netanyahu’s Likud and hard-right allies won 53 seats. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48. Arab-led parties won 19 seats combined, but major blocs have rejected or limited cooperation with them. The numbers show why coalition negotiations matter.

President Isaac Herzog will consult the parties and choose the leader he believes has the best chance to build a majority. That leader gets 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension. If the effort fails, Israel could hold another election, while Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister.

The final count left Netanyahu’s Likud party and hard-right allies with 53 seats. That was down from 64 seats in the 2022 election. The opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats. Neither bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

The Joint List and Ra’am, both Arab-led parties, won 19 seats combined. This was an all-time high for Arab-led parties. Their total is politically important because either major camp would need additional support to reach 61. Yet most parties in Eisenkot’s bloc rejected relying on Arab-led parties, and Eisenkot said neither meets his conditions for a partnership.

The result leaves both sides negotiating from a difficult position. Netanyahu’s bloc is eight seats short, while Eisenkot’s bloc is 13 short. The seat gap creates uncertainty over who can form a government.

A coalition is the agreement that gives a leader enough parliamentary support to govern. If neither major bloc can assemble at least 61 seats, no stable majority government can be formed immediately. That can produce a political stalemate, prolonging uncertainty over policy, spending, and wartime decisions.

The president first consults competing parties and appoints the leader judged most likely to build a majority. That leader has 28 days to negotiate, with an extension of up to 14 days. If the effort fails, another leader could potentially receive an opportunity, depending on the process. The article states that previous efforts lasted between 20 and 100 days.

If coalition efforts ultimately fail, new elections will be called. Netanyahu would remain in office as caretaker prime minister in the meantime. He could also seek a national unity government, although many opponents have ruled that option out.

Israeli parties need to bargain because election results often leave no single party or bloc with more than half the Knesset. A governing majority requires 61 of 120 seats. When the leading bloc falls short, it must negotiate with other parties over support, shared policies, and participation in government.

This election shows the mechanism clearly. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, leaving it eight short. Eisenkot’s opposition bloc won 48, leaving it 13 short. The Joint List and Ra’am won 19 seats together, but cooperation with Arab-led parties is politically contested. Most parties in Eisenkot’s bloc rejected relying on them, and Eisenkot said neither met his conditions.

Smaller parties therefore become potential coalition partners or obstacles. President Herzog will consult the parties before naming a leader to try forming a government. Until a coalition is secured, political uncertainty can continue, and Netanyahu may remain caretaker prime minister.

Israel’s president plays a formal role after the election. President Isaac Herzog consults the competing parties and then names the leader he believes has the best chance of forming a majority government. The president’s decision matters because neither major bloc won enough seats to govern without partners.

The chosen leader begins a 28-day coalition-building process. That period can be extended by up to 14 days. The leader must negotiate with other parties and assemble support from at least 61 of the Knesset’s 120 members. Herzog does not create the coalition himself; he starts the constitutional process by selecting the person most likely to do so.

Netanyahu may receive the first opportunity. If his effort fails, the process can continue toward another attempt or new elections. Netanyahu would remain caretaker prime minister if coalition formation ultimately breaks down.

The main alternative to a successful coalition is another election. Under the process described, the leader chosen by President Herzog gets 28 days to form a government. That period can be extended by up to 14 days, allowing as many as 42 days for the initial effort.

If Netanyahu receives the mandate and cannot reach 61 seats, the process may move to another attempt or eventually to a new vote. The article says previous government-formation efforts have taken between 20 and 100 days. Netanyahu could also propose a national unity government, arguing that Israel faces conflict on several fronts, but many opponents oppose that arrangement.

If efforts fail, new elections will be called. Netanyahu remains prime minister in a caretaker role during the interim. A prolonged stalemate could therefore keep him in office even without a new governing coalition.

Under proportional representation, parties win seats broadly according to their share of the vote rather than one party taking every seat in a district. Israel’s 120-seat Knesset is therefore divided among multiple parties. The article does not explain the electoral system, but this established feature helps explain why coalition bargaining is central.

The election illustrates the mechanism. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc won 48. Arab-led parties won 19 seats combined. Because no bloc reached 61, leaders must seek agreements with other parties. Those parties can demand policy commitments or refuse cooperation, making negotiations difficult.

This system can broaden representation, but it can also delay government formation. The current result leaves weeks of uncertainty, with Netanyahu potentially remaining caretaker prime minister. If no leader builds a majority, new elections may be called, extending the political stalemate.