Israeli Coalition Sets October 27 Election Date, Marks First Full-Term Government in 53 Years

During a Knesset committee meeting on Sunday, the Israeli coalition officially set the dissolution date for the 25th Knesset as July 17, with elections for the 26th Knesset scheduled 107 days later on October 27, 2024. This marks the first time in 38 years that elections are held on schedule and the first government to complete a full term in 53 years.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin emphasized the importance of avoiding repeated elections, stating, "It is impossible to hold repeated elections for the State Comptroller." Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, responded to the announcement by declaring confidence in victory on October 27, promising to replace the current government with a Zionist and national government to restore the country.

Recent polls from Maariv indicate a significant shift in the political landscape. The newly formed Yashar! party, led by Gadi Eizenkot, has surpassed Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party for the first time, securing 22 seats compared to Likud's 21. This reflects a gain of two seats from the previous poll and a jump of about ten seats since the April union of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

Other parties showed minor fluctuations: Bennett's Together party dropped back to 18 seats after briefly rising to 19, and the Religious Zionist party led by Bezalel Smotrich fell to four seats from five. Yisrael Beiteinu and the Democrats under Yair Golan remained stable at 10 seats each. Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and United Torah Judaism each held steady at eight seats, while Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am maintained five seats each.

This election cycle is notable for its stability and the potential reshaping of Israel's political map ahead of the October vote.