Israel election: Netanyahu-led bloc in slight lead with more than 80% of votes counted

What you need to know

- Israel's election turnout was the highest in decades

- As of 12:30 p.m. local time, just over 84.5% of the vote was counted with a Likud-led bloc holding a lead

- At least 61 seats are needed to form a secure majority

- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot both say they're ready to form government

- Neither party is expected to win an outright majority, with difficult coalition talks expected in the weeks ahead

Follow below for all the latest on the Israeli election on October 27, 2026, and the following days:

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IN DEPTH: What would a new Israeli government mean for Arab neighbors?

A new Israeli government is unlikely to bring big changes on controversial topics like Palestinian statehood and Israeli troops in Lebanon and Syria, experts say.

Some small positives may be possible though.

Read DW's full report on what might change for Arab countries after Israel's election.

GRAPHIC — Knesset seats by party, and by bloc

Election commission says almost half a million 'double envelope' ballots still to be counted

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) estimates that there are still between 430,000 and 480,000 so-called "double envelope" ballots to count, according to Israeli media.

These are cast primarily by soldiers, prisoners and diplomats stationed abroad, as well as others unable to vote at their designated polling stations.

This estimate is lower than the CEC's previous prediction of around 600,000 but it remains subject to change.

Such ballots are still being received and processed, and officials also have to double-check that the individuals sending them in have not also voted at a physical polling station on election day.

Because of these complications, they tend to be among the last votes to be counted.

A full vote count is tentatively expected by tomorrow afternoon, although the official finalized results will only follow on November 4.

If the CEC's estimated range is roughly correct, this group of ballots would equate to not very far shy of 10% of the total number of votes cast. As such, they have at least the theoretical potential to impact the seat distribution quite considerably.

President Herzog says it's imperative 'to avoid another round of elections'

President Isaac Herzog, who will have a key role in choosing someone to try to put together the next government, has urged all parties to "come with an open mind" when the time for negotiations comes.

"I will receive the official election results next week," Herzog said. "I wil then begin the process of the consultations here, hearing from each and every fraction, asking questions, and holding discussions."

Typically the president chooses the leader of the party with the most votes to try to form a government although he is not required to follow this convention. That nominee then has 42 days to try to set up a working coalition.

"One thing must be clear, and I said this before the elections too," Herzog said. "We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections. So I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind."

Between April 2019 and November 2022, Israel had five general elections in rather rapid succession amid similar difficulties either forming or maintaining coalition governments.

Situation barely moves as more than 80% of vote counted

Partial results published by the Central Elections Committee and reported by the Times of Israel newspaper showed the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 54 seats, with 84.5% of votes counted.

The opposition bloc under Gadi Eisenkot of the centrist Yashar party was on 49 seats.

Neither bloc is set to receive the 61 seats need for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, making some form of coalition likely.

The Arab-led parties — the Joint List and the United Arab List, commonly known under its Hebrew name of Ra'am — have dropped to 17 seats.

The numbers are still likely to change, particularly after a record number of absentee votes are counted.

The full tally of those will possibly not be confirmed until Friday, according to the newspaper.

Arab list leader calls for Jewish-Arab partnership to oust Netanyahu

The leader of the far-left Joint List, one of Israel's Arab-majority lists, has called for a "genuine Jewish-Arab partnership" to help remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Anyone who wants to offer a substantive and genuine alternative to Netanyahu's blood-soaked government will have to talk to us to secure the path to the change that the public in Israel longs for," Yousef Jabareen told Israeli media.

"We will know how to use our political strength to advance the values we believe in," Jabareen said.

"We are ready to pave the way for the replacement of the government of Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich — and send them home."

After most votes have been counted from Tuesday's election, the conservative Islamist Ra'am party and the Joint List are projected to win a combined 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

As neither the pro-Netanyahu bloc nor the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot seem likely to win a majority, the Arab parties could play a key role in the formation of the next government.

Right-wing Jewish parties in Israel have traditionally refused to cooperate with Arab parties, and Netanyahu said on Wednesday doing so would be "treasonous."

However, at least one opposition party is open to the idea, with the leader of the left-leading Democrats, Yair Golan, saying Wednesday he supported bringing Arab-led parties into a coalition.

Little shift in numbers as three-quarters of votes tallied

Partial results issued by the Central Elections Committee and cited by the Times of Israel showed little movement in results with 76.8% of votes counted, with the pro-Netanyahu bloc on 54 seats and the anti-Netanyahu bloc on 47.

However, the United Arab List, commonly known by its Hebrew abbreviation Ra'am, saw a gain of two seats, bringing the Arab parties to 19.

The results will change as counting progresses.

Both main blocs remain short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset.

Left-wing leader calls for 'courage' to unite with Arab parties

Yair Golan, the head of Israel's main left-wing party, the Democrats, has called on partners in the opposition alliance to be ready to work with Arab parties to gain a majority and take government.

"We must no longer accept [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's racist division between Jewish votes and Arab votes," he said on X.

"We have a responsibility. And we have an opportunity to form a government of change in partnership with Israel's Arab citizens," he wrote.

Arab parties have around 16 seats amid the ongoing count, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc under former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is on around 48, meaning that a coalition between them would produce the necessary majority in the Knesset.

Netanyahu's bloc had some 56 seats after around two-thirds of votes had been counted.

Several opposition parties have so far rejected working together with the Arab parties.

Netanyahu bloc holds slight lead after more than half of votes counted: elections committee

Partial results issued by Israel's Central Elections Committee and reported by the Times of Israel after 57.3% of votes were counted have shown the pro-Netanyahu bloc with a projected 55 seats, seven seats ahead of the anti-Netanyahu bloc with 49.

Neither side so far has the 61 seats needed to form a secure majority and are not expected to do so.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party currently leads with a projected 27 seats, with challenger Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party coming in at 21 seats projected.

Arab parties so far are projected to win 15 seats.

The Likud and Yashar parties are leading their respective blocs.

These are partial results that will change as counting progresses.

In particular, the special votes cast by people outside their assigned polling stations, such as those of soldiers, are counted later.

A record 650,000 such absentee votes are expected this year, equivalent to around 14 seats in the Knesset.

This means the absentee votes could markedly affect the final election result, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported.

Netanyahu calls for 'strong' right-wing government after election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to form a new right-wing government, despite exit polls showing no clear majority for either political bloc.

"We are still waiting for the real results," Netanyahu told cheering supporters in a speech early Wednesday, stressing that his Likud party was the largest in Israel.

"We must put in place a strong government of the right," he said.

Netanyahu also rejected the prospect of a government relying on the support of Arab parties, which made strong gains in Tuesday's election.

Turning to security, Netanyahu said Israel had a "unique opportunity" together with US President Donald Trump to end what he called the Iranian threat.

Updated exit polls show Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot either tied or separated by a narrow margin. Neither side is projected to win the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Updated exit polls show Netanyahu and opposition blocs neck and neck

Updated Israeli exit polls suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is now tied with the opposition, after earlier projections showed a narrow lead for the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot.

Public broadcaster Kan 11 and Channel 13 both put the pro-Netanyahu and anti-Netanyahu blocs at 51 seats each. Channel 12, meanwhile, is now showing the pro-Netanyahu camp with an edge at 52 seats and the opposition at 49 seats.

Kan 11's latest projection gives Netanyahu's Likud party 27 seats, up from 25 in its earlier poll.

However, none of the three major networks project either bloc winning the 61 seats needed for a majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament, the Knesset.

Eisenkot calls on Netanyahu to resign in post-election speech

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down, saying voters have sent a clear message that they want change.

"We've made history," Eisenkot told supporters in a speech in Jerusalem following Tuesday's election. "The public voted against the continuation of Netanyahu as prime minister."

He said a "decent leader" would accept the public's will and announce his resignation, warning that another round of elections would be a mistake.

Eisenkot pledged to work towards forming what he called a "Zionist conscription government," referring to his push for broader military service obligations.

"We would like to represent all Israelis," he said, adding that the country needed stable leadership and a government that represented all parts of society.

The former military chief also warned Netanyahu against making major security decisions or launching new wars, arguing that he no longer had a mandate to do so.

"Netanyahu: Don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs," Eisenkot said.

Eisenkot says he is ready to form a government

Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the opposition bloc, said the election results pointed to a "complete lack of confidence" in Netanyahu and his coalition.

"I will act immediately to carry out the people’s mandate, replace Netanyahu's government and form a Zionist government committed to military conscription as soon as possible," Eisenkot said in a statement.

A former military chief, he made the issue of eliminating exemptions from military service for Ultra-Orthodox men central to his campaign.

Majority of Israeli public voted against Netanyahu, exit polls show

Much of the Israeli media labeled the Israeli election an opinion poll on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

If the exit polls of Israel's main news outlets are anything to go by, the Israeli public voted against the country's longest-serving prime minister.

While Netanyahu's current coalition includes 68 seats, the exit polls gave his bloc between 50 and 51 seats.

The Israeli prime minister is unlikely to concede defeat despite his coalition having taken a significant hit, but it remains to be seen how Likud's own ranks, as well as its coalition partners, will react to the exit polls.

Ra'am party becomes political power broker

The success of Ra'am, which exit polls predict will take seven seats, means no Israeli government can be established without the religious Muslim party playing some part.

The party already made headlines after appointing Yoav Segalovich, a Jewish former high-ranking police chief, as the number two candidate to leader Mansour Abbas. The raging criminality and violence across the Arab and Palestinian community, as well as the war in Gaza, both could have played a role in Ra'am's result.

Both the Likud-led coalition and large parts of the Israeli opposition may have ruled out a coalition with Ra'am, but the current results may leave them little choice but to seek some form of cooperation with the party.

As one Israeli pollster put it, "Tonight, Israelis were reminded that their population also includes Arabs and Palestinians with Israeli citizenship."