Israel election 2026: Likud leads, but the route to power runs through 61

Likud emerged as the largest party, but the reported completed count left neither principal bloc with 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats. The Times of Israel reported 53 seats for Netanyahu’s allies, 48 for the Jewish-led opposition and 19 for the Arab-led parties on 30 October.

READOUT 01

The count changed the balance seen on election night

Channel 12’s initial exit poll on 27 October projected 50 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 52 for the Jewish-led opposition and 18 for Arab-led parties. Channel 13’s initial projection was 50, 53 and 17. The subsequent completed-count report put the same categories at 53, 48 and 19. These are separate snapshots: exit polls estimated the outcome; the later report described counted seats.

Bloc	Channel 12 initial	Channel 13 initial	Reported count
Netanyahu bloc	50	50	53
Jewish-led opposition	52	53	48
Arab-led parties	18	17	19

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Data source: Channels 12 and 13 exit polls and completed count, reported by The Times of Israel

READOUT 02

The largest party still needed partners

Likud’s 27 seats put it ahead of Yashar’s 21. Neither party approached a majority alone. Eleven lists appeared in the seat allocation reported by The Times of Israel, making the relationship between parties central to the next stage.

Party	Seats
Likud	27
Yashar	21
B’Yachad	12
Joint List	11
The Democrats	8
Ra’am	8
Yisrael Beytenu	7
United Torah Judaism	7
Otzma Yehudit	7
Shas	6
Religious Zionism	6

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Data source: The Times of Israel, reporting Central Elections Committee figures

READOUT 03

Eight seats short on one side, thirteen on the other

The reported Netanyahu bloc stood eight seats below 61. The Jewish-led opposition stood thirteen below it. The Joint List’s 11 seats and Ra’am’s eight therefore mattered to the arithmetic, although their treatment as a combined reporting category does not establish a joint negotiating position.

Bloc	Seats short of 61
Netanyahu bloc	8
Jewish-led opposition	13

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Data source: NINE145 calculation from The Times of Israel’s reported count

READOUT 04

A numerical majority was easier to draw than to negotiate

Adding both Arab-led parties to the 48-seat opposition category produces 67. Adding Ra’am alone produces 56. The Times of Israel’s coalition analysis reported campaign pledges against partnering with Arab-led parties by Yashar, B’Yachad and Yisrael Beytenu. Those positions make numerical combinations politically conditional. The selector below is an arithmetic tool, not a forecast or a report of an agreed coalition.

Party	Seats
Likud	27
Yashar	21
B’Yachad	12
Joint List	11
The Democrats	8
Ra’am	8
Yisrael Beytenu	7
United Torah Judaism	7
Otzma Yehudit	7
Shas	6
Religious Zionism	6

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Data source: The Times of Israel’s reported seat allocation; combinations selected by reader

READOUT 05

Certification and consultations were the next milestones

The Times of Israel reported that the full official results were due to be presented to President Isaac Herzog on 4 November, following remaining checks, with the new Knesset scheduled to be sworn in on 10 November. Party recommendations and negotiations would then shape the government-formation process. This report does not identify an agreed governing coalition.

Date	Event
4 November 2026	Official results due to be presented to President Herzog
10 November 2026	New Knesset scheduled to be sworn in

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Data source: The Times of Israel, 30 October 2026