Israel's parliamentary election remained without a clear winner as counting neared completion on 29 October 2026, with no bloc holding the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. With 98.82 per cent of ballots counted, trackers citing the Central Elections Committee put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 53 seats, the opposition Change bloc at 48 and Arab-led parties at 19.

Near-final count, no majority

The figures are provisional projections, not a final official allocation. Special double-envelope ballots, including votes from soldiers, were still to be counted, and official results were expected by 4 November. Turnout was reported at 77.7 per cent, the highest since 1999.

Likud largest, but bloc weakened

Likud remained the largest single party, but Netanyahu's camp fell well short of the 64 seats won by the outgoing coalition in 2022. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar! party also failed to reach a majority, leaving both sides short of a governing coalition on their own.

Arab parties hold the balance

The most striking shift was the rise of the Arab-led lists, which climbed to around 19 seats — close to their share of the electorate — after a sharp rise in turnout in Arab-majority cities. Le Monde reported that neither of the two main blocs can currently form a government without their support, and that Arab party leaders had signalled openness to helping form an alternative government. How those parties choose to use that position, and what the final double-envelope ballots change, will decide whether Israel faces a stable coalition or a further round of political deadlock.

Sources: Le Monde, Votendi live results (citing the Central Elections Committee).