No bloc has reached the 61 seats needed to govern, and record turnout has left Israel facing weeks of coalition talks.
October 28, 2026 — Israel held a parliamentary election on October 27, 2026, and exit polls released that night projected no bloc reaching a majority. The election was Israel's first national vote since the October 7, 2023 attack, according to the Associated Press.
Image: A ballot box and flags outside a polling station at night, voters in silhouette. Credit: AI-generated illustration / Red Eye Eagle News.
Editor's Highlight: The result is a deadlock, not a victory. Updated exit polls narrowed the gap to a tie or a two-seat lead, and every projection still falls short of 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.
Table of Contents
- Exit Polls Point to Deadlock
- Record Turnout in the First Vote Since October 7, 2023
- Arab Parties and the Balance of Power
- What the Leaders Said
- The Coalition Process
- Why the Election Was Framed as a Referendum
- Bottom Line
- FAQ
- Sources
Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Election date | Tuesday, October 27, 2026 |
| Parliament | 120-seat Knesset; 61 seats for a majority |
| Initial exit polls | Netanyahu bloc 50; Eisenkot bloc 52-53; Arab parties 17-18 |
| Updated exit polls | 51-51 tie, or Netanyahu bloc 52, Eisenkot bloc 50 |
| Largest parties | Likud 24-25 seats; Yashar 21-23 seats (projections) |
| Turnout | 77.7%, more than 5.69 million of about 7.33 million voters |
| Turnout comparison | Up about 7.1 points on 70.63% in 2022; highest since 1999 |
| Status | Exit polls only; final results expected in coming days |
Exit Polls Point to Deadlock
Polling stations closed at 10 p.m. Israel time, 20:00 GMT. Exit polls released that night by major Israeli television networks, Kan and Channel 11, Channel 12 and Channel 13, projected no bloc reaching the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
The initial projections, as reported by the Associated Press, were: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc with 50 seats, the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot with 52 to 53 seats, and Arab parties with 17 to 18 seats.
Revised exit polls early on Wednesday, October 28, narrowed the gap further. Kan 11 and Channel 13 put both main blocs at 51 seats each, while an updated Channel 12 projection put Netanyahu's bloc at 52 and Eisenkot's at 50, according to a live-results page citing Reuters updates. All of these are projections, not final results.
The Associated Press and Al Jazeera both stress that exit polls are subject to error and may vary from the official count. Preliminary results were expected within hours, and final results in the coming days, according to the Associated Press. No bloc should be presented as the winner on the basis of these polls.
Newsroom Focus: The gap between the initial and updated projections is the story of election night. A three-seat opposition lead became a tie, or a two-seat lead the other way, depending on the channel. The one figure that did not change was the shortfall: nobody reached 61.
| Projection | Netanyahu bloc | Eisenkot bloc | Arab parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial exit polls | 50 | 52-53 | 17-18 |
| Kan 11 / Channel 13 update | 51 | 51 | Not stated |
| Channel 12 update | 52 | 50 | Not stated |
Record Turnout in the First Vote Since October 7, 2023
Turnout was exceptionally high. The Central Elections Committee, as reported by Al Jazeera, said 77.7% of eligible voters cast ballots, more than 5.69 million of about 7.33 million voters. That is about 7.1 percentage points higher than the 70.63% recorded in 2022, and the highest turnout in a Knesset election since 1999, when turnout was 78.7%.
Around 330,000 young Israelis, many facing compulsory military service, were eligible to vote for the first time, according to the Associated Press. The election is Israel's first national vote since the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, according to the Associated Press.
Arab Parties and the Balance of Power
Arab parties were projected at 17 to 18 seats in the initial polls, a strong showing that could make them kingmakers, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Arabs in Israel make up about 20% of the population, according to the Associated Press.
Al Jazeera reports that both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have ruled out partnering with the Arab-led parties, citing a lack of shared values. That refusal is what makes the arithmetic so difficult: the parties holding the balance are the ones both main blocs say they will not work with.
What the Leaders Said
Eisenkot said the exit polls showed a lack of confidence in Netanyahu, and vowed to form a new government, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Yair Lapid, the current opposition leader, called the projections a crushing defeat and total collapse for Netanyahu's bloc, according to Al Jazeera.
Netanyahu, in his first address after counting began, called for a strong right-wing national government and warned against a government backed by Arab parties, according to the live-results page citing Reuters. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar of Likud said opposition celebrations were premature, and that Likud remained the largest party, according to Al Jazeera and the live-results page.
The Coalition Process
Israel's president will ask the party leader with the best prospect of forming a government to try to assemble a coalition, according to the Associated Press. If neither side can form a government, Netanyahu could remain in office as caretaker while negotiations continue, according to Al Jazeera.
If none can form a government, new elections could be held early next year, according to the Associated Press. Israel held five elections between April 2019 and November 2022 because of a similar stalemate. The Associated Press says an inconclusive result would leave Israel in political limbo, and could set off weeks of jockeying, or another round of elections.
Why the Election Was Framed as a Referendum
The Associated Press describes the race as widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's rule, fought over security, military conscription, including draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews, the judiciary, and Israel's international standing. Netanyahu, 77, has served as prime minister for nearly 19 of the past 30 years, according to Al Jazeera. The Associated Press describes the race as a referendum on his nearly unbroken 17-year rule.
The Associated Press reports that Netanyahu faces an ongoing corruption trial and an international arrest warrant over alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza, allegations he denies. Those are reported claims, not findings, and they are presented here only as reported.
Bottom Line
Israel's exit polls point to deadlock, with record turnout and no bloc at 61 seats. The updated projections are a tie or a narrow lead, and the official count will decide whether either side can build a coalition without the Arab parties both blocs have ruled out. Until the final results arrive, there is no winner to declare, only weeks of coalition talks to watch.
FAQ
Who won the Israel election?
No winner yet. Only exit polls have been reported, and they project no bloc at 61 seats. Preliminary results were expected within hours and final results in the coming days, according to the Associated Press. No bloc should be presented as the winner.
Why does 61 seats matter?
The Knesset has 120 seats, so 61 is the majority needed to form a governing coalition. No party has ever won an outright majority alone, according to the Associated Press.
Why do Arab parties matter if neither main bloc will partner with them?
They were projected at 17 to 18 seats, enough to decide whether either side can reach 61, which is why the Associated Press and Al Jazeera describe them as potential kingmakers. Both main blocs have ruled out partnering with them, leaving the path to a majority unclear.
What happens if no coalition can be formed?
The president assigns the mandate to the leader best placed to form a government. Netanyahu could stay on as caretaker during talks, and if no government forms, new elections could be held early next year, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
Was turnout really a record?
Final turnout of 77.7% was the highest since 1999, when it was 78.7%, according to Central Elections Committee figures reported by Al Jazeera, up about 7.1 points on 2022. It was not an all-time record, because 1999 was higher.
Sources
- Associated Press — Initial exit polls, turnout, coalition process and leader quotes
- Al Jazeera report, reproduced by Europe Says — Final turnout, updated projections and Arab-party positions
- AnewZ live results, citing Reuters updates — Revised exit polls and election-night statements
- Hungarian Conservative — Corroboration of initial projections and leader quotes
- Image: AI-generated illustration created for this article / Red Eye Eagle News.
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