NEWSru IsraelPolitics06:24

Israel Election: Netanyahu Bloc Leads With 57 Seats After 37% of Votes Counted

Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba

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Vote counting in Israel's 26th Knesset elections is underway, with 37% of ballots processed showing Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leading with 28 projected seats. The preliminary results indicate Netanyahu's bloc could secure 57 seats, falling short of the 61 needed for a majority. Voter turnout was high at 77.7%, and final results are anticipated by November 4, 2026.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leads with 28 projected seats after 37% of votes are counted.
Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 57 seats, falling short of the 61 needed for a majority.
Voter turnout reached a high of 77.7% in the 26th Knesset elections.
Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is currently in second place with 21 projected seats.
Final official results of the election are expected by November 4, 2026.

Israel Election: Netanyahu Bloc Leads With 57 Seats After 37% of Votes Counted — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Vote counting is ongoing for the 26th Knesset elections, with over 37% of ballots processed by Wednesday morning, October 28. Preliminary results from the Central Elections Committee show the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, currently leading with 28 projected seats. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is in second place with 21 seats. These figures are interim and subject to change as more votes are tallied.

Other parties' projected seat counts include the Joint List with 12, Naftali Bennett's Bayahad with 11, Yahadut HaTorah and Yisrael Beiteinu with 8 seats each, Democrats with 7, Otzma Yehudit with 7, Shas with 7, Religious Zionism and Zehut with 7, and Ra'am with 4 seats. Parties not reaching the 3.25% electoral threshold are not expected to pass.

Based on these preliminary calculations, the bloc of parties aligned with outgoing coalition leader Netanyahu is projected to win 57 seats. The opposition parties, Yashar, Bayahad, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Democrats, are collectively projected to secure 47 seats. Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra'am, are expected to gain a combined 16 seats. A majority in the Knesset requires 61 seats.

Voter turnout reached 77.7% by the close of polls, with 5,695,682 people casting ballots, marking one of the highest turnouts in Israeli election history. The current processed votes represent about 28% of the total, with the discrepancy due to varying voter numbers at different polling stations. The count will also include ballots from double envelopes, such as those from soldiers, diplomats, prisoners, and hospital patients. Final official results are expected by November 4, 2026.