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Early Election Results Show Netanyahu Leading as Vote Count Begins

Initial results from Israel's 26th Knesset elections show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leading, though no clear majority has emerged. The election on Tuesday saw a high voter turnout of 77.7%, the highest recorded since 2001. By Wednesday morning, the Central Elections Committee had processed over 2.13 million votes, representing more than a third of the total ballots cast.

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Early Election Results Show Netanyahu Leading as Vote Count Begins — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01The Likud party leads the early vote count in Israel's 26th Knesset elections with 28 seats after more than 37% of votes are processed.
02Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is in second place with 21 seats, according to the latest updates from the Central Elections Committee.
03Voter turnout reached 77.7%, marking the highest participation rate recorded at 10 PM since the 2001 elections.
04Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win between 57 and 59 seats, short of a 61-seat majority.
05The opposition change bloc is projected to secure 46 to 47 seats, while Arab parties hold 15 to 16 seats.
06Several smaller parties, including Yoaz Hendel's Amcha Israel and Ofer Winter's Miluimnikim, are currently below the 3.25% electoral threshold.
07Final official results from the Central Elections Committee are expected to be completed by November 4, 2026.

With 37.4% of the votes counted, Likud leads with 28 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party with 21 seats. The United Arab List holds 12 seats, Naftali Bennett's Bayahad party has 11, and Yahadut HaTorah and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu each have 8 seats. The Democrats, Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and the Religious Zionism-Zehut alliance are projected to win 7 seats each, while Ra'am holds 4 seats. Several smaller parties, including Ofer Winter's Miluimnikim and Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha's Amcha Israel, remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold.

Preliminary calculations project Netanyahu's bloc at 57 to 59 seats, while the opposition change bloc is estimated at 46 to 47 seats, and Arab parties hold 15 to 16 seats. Speaking from Jerusalem, Netanyahu called for a right-wing, Zionist, and strong government, while Eisenkot declared that his party had made history. The Central Elections Committee continues to update the results, with final official outcomes expected by November 4, 2026.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated 07:17

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