Netanyahu falls short of majority as Israeli PM election ends in deadlock
Netanyahu falls short of majority as Israeli PM election ends in deadlock
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime ministers office in Jerusalem on August 10, 2025. Netanyahu said on August 10 that his government had no plans to occupy Gaza, while vowing to create safe corridors for aid. (Photo by ABIR SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen short of securing a parliamentary majority in Israel’s election, leaving his bid to remain prime minister hanging in the balance.
The Central Elections Committee (CEC) published the final results polls on Friday.
Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats, against 48 for the Gadi Eisenkot-led bloc. The Arab factions held 19 seats.
A bloc must hold at least 61 seats to secure a majority in the Knesset and form a government.
Despite failing to secure a majority, Netanyahu remains in charge. His main opponents would most likely need to partner with the Arab-led parties to replace him.
The full official results are slated to be presented to President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday, after the CEC completes any final inquiries into errors or complaints.
Herzog will then meet with each party leader as they issue their recommendation for the person they believe should form the next government.
Tuesday’s election took place four years after the end of a three-year period in which Israel repeatedly went to the polls five times, with the first four failing to produce stable governments. It has been described as one of the most consequential in the country’s history.
According to the CEC, final voter turnout was 77.9 percent of eligible voters — the highest figure in decades.
Netanyahu, who is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, says he will be the one to form the next moment. Eisenkot, his main rival, has made the same claim.
In the hours before final results were announced, Netanyahu and his Likud party alleged that the Arab-led parties had “stolen” the election, potentially with foreign assistance.
Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of running “an orchestrated and organized campaign to delegitimize the election results”.
