Israel's 27 October 2026 election has produced a hung Knesset, with no bloc reaching the 61 seats needed for a governing majority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-led bloc won about 53 seats, down from 68 in the outgoing coalition, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats. Arab-led parties won a record combined 19 seats, making them potential kingmakers. Voter turnout reached 77.7 per cent, its highest level in two decades.

Likud remains the single largest party with 27 seats, but Netanyahu's coalition prospects are constrained: his partners oppose cooperating with Arab parties, and opposition leaders have refused to serve under him. Eisenkot's bloc could reach 66 seats with Arab-party support, but key opposition leaders have also rejected such cooperation, leaving every route to 61 blocked by at least one side's red lines.

What happens next

President Isaac Herzog is expected to begin consultations after the results are certified on 4 November, with Eisenkot receiving the first mandate to form a government, although Netanyahu can remain caretaker prime minister and may receive another opportunity if Eisenkot fails. The designated leader will then have 28 days, extendable by a further 14, to assemble a coalition. The remaining options are a minority government dependent on Arab-party support, a Haredi realignment, or a unity arrangement Eisenkot has previously rejected.

Fraud claims rejected by election referee

Netanyahu has raised allegations of election fraud linked to Arab-led parties, a move greeted with scepticism by Israeli authorities. Israel's Central Elections Committee says the vote was lawful and the count stands, and its acting director-general has said an investigation into alleged improper foreign influence does not affect the final results. Unless one of the principal blocs changes its red lines, prolonged deadlock with another election in early 2027 is the likeliest near-term outcome.