Right-Wing Bloc Short of Majority After 95% of Votes Counted
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Following the count of 95.4% of votes for the 26th Knesset elections, the right-wing bloc is projected to win 53 seats, falling short of the 61 needed for a majority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leads with 26 seats. The left-wing bloc has 48 seats, and Arab parties hold 19 seats. Neither bloc can form a government alone, presenting a challenge for Netanyahu's coalition efforts.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Right-wing bloc projected to win 53 seats after 95.4% of votes counted.
- Likud leads with 26 seats, while the left-wing bloc has 48 seats.
- Arab parties hold 19 seats, potentially crucial for coalition building.
- Neither the right nor the left bloc has enough seats to form a government.
- Two parties, Reservists and Am Israel, are expected to fall below the electoral threshold.
With approximately 95.4% of votes tallied for the 26th Knesset elections, the right-wing bloc is projected to secure 53 seats, falling short of the 61 needed to form a government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leads with 26 seats, while the broader right-wing bloc trails the left-wing bloc by five seats. The Arab parties, Ra'am and the Democratic Party, together hold 19 seats, a potentially significant number given the difficulty both blocs face in achieving a majority. Other parties in contention include Otzma Yehudit and Yisrael Beiteinu, each with 7 seats, as are the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism. The Religious Zionist party and Zehut are expected to win 6 seats. Two parties, the Reservists party and Am Israel, are currently projected to fall below the 3.25% electoral threshold and will not enter the Knesset. Despite the Likud's lead, Netanyahu faces challenges in forming a coalition, requiring an additional eight seats even if all current coalition partners remain supportive. The left-wing bloc also lacks sufficient seats to form a government independently. Avigdor Lieberman has reiterated his refusal to cooperate with Netanyahu, and Tibi's stance remains unchanged.