developing· Politics· Updated 14:48

Israel Election: Netanyahu Bloc Leads With 53 Seats as Vote Count Nears Completion

Following the general election held on Tuesday, October 27, the vote count continues to show Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc leading but short of a 61-seat majority. With over 85% of the votes processed by Wednesday, October 28, Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is expected to secure 48 seats.

3 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 08:16

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Israel Election: Netanyahu Bloc Leads With 53 Seats as Vote Count Nears Completion — Illustration by baba

What happened

01With over 85% of the votes counted on Wednesday, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 53 seats.
02The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is expected to secure 48 seats in the 26th Knesset.
03Arab parties are projected to win between 17 and 19 seats as the vote count nears completion.
04Voter turnout for the general election held on Tuesday, October 27, reached 77.7%.
05Approximately 600,000 double-enveloped ballots are still being counted, and allegations of fraud are being addressed.
06The Central Election Committee has processed over 4.87 million votes from 11,168 polling stations.
07Final official election results are expected to be published no later than November 4, 2026.

According to NEWSru Israel, two Arab parties are projected to gain 19 seats, while Ice reported that Arab parties collectively hold 17 seats. The Central Election Committee has processed over 4.87 million votes from 11,168 polling stations, representing a voter turnout of 77.7%. Approximately 600,000 double-enveloped ballots are still being counted, and allegations of fraud are being addressed.

The preliminary results have sparked intense debate within the opposition. While some figures expressed despair over the bloc's leadership, Zehava Galon and Yair Golan urged optimism, emphasizing that Netanyahu lacks a majority. The final official results, which will determine the composition of the 26th Knesset, are expected to be published no later than November 4, 2026.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 14:56

Latest report: NEWSru Israel. Read NEWSru Israel’s original