Israeli President Begins Consultations to Form Government Amidst Complex Political Landscape

By מעריב אונליין

Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba

CenterNeutral tone

Hebrew · 6 newsrooms covering

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has begun consultations to assign the task of forming a new government after the 2026 elections. Gadi Eisenkot's "change bloc" is projected to have 48 recommendations, while Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc expects 46, with the decisions of United Torah Judaism and Arab parties being crucial. The fragmented Knesset results mean no bloc has a majority, potentially leading to extended coalition talks. The President will ultimately decide who receives the mandate to form a government, considering their likelihood of success.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

President Herzog began consultations to assign the mandate for forming Israel's next government.
Gadi Eisenkot's bloc is expected to have 48 recommendations, Netanyahu's 46, with key parties undecided.
The fragmented Knesset results mean no single bloc has a majority, complicating coalition talks.
The President is not obligated to choose the candidate with the most recommendations.
If no government is formed, new elections will be triggered within 90 days.
The 26th Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10th.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has commenced consultations with party representatives at his residence to determine who will be tasked with forming the next government following the 2026 elections. The political landscape is particularly fragmented, with no single bloc securing a majority in the Knesset. The Netanyahu bloc garnered 53 seats, the "change bloc" secured 48, and Arab parties hold 19 seats, indicating a potentially lengthy coalition negotiation period.

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yishar party, is expected to receive recommendations from the "change bloc" parties, totaling 48 seats. This bloc includes Yishar (21 seats), Together (12 seats), the Democrats (8 seats), and Yisrael Beiteinu (7 seats). While the two Arab parties have not yet officially declared their recommendations, it is anticipated they may back Eisenkot to facilitate a change in government. However, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu has stated his opposition to a government relying on Arab parties, posing a potential obstacle.

For the right-wing bloc, the Likud party (27 seats) will recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, supported by Shas (6 seats), Otzma Yehudit (7 seats), and the Religious Zionism party. The key undecided faction is United Torah Judaism, whose decision is reportedly linked to agreements on yeshiva student conscription and budget issues. Their recommendation could significantly impact Netanyahu's recommendation count.

President Herzog has altered the traditional consultation order, meeting with smaller factions first before larger ones. The consultations began on November 4th, with representatives presenting their recommendations and coalition possibilities. The President is not bound to select the candidate with the most recommendations, but rather the one most likely to form a government that can gain Knesset confidence. The process allows for up to 42 days for the first candidate to form a government, with subsequent stages for other candidates or Knesset initiatives if the initial attempts fail.

If no government is formed within the allotted timeframes, the Knesset will be considered dissolved, triggering new elections within 90 days. The 26th Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10th, regardless of coalition progress, and the outgoing government will continue to serve until a new one is established.