Netanyahu’s bloc falls short of majority in final Israeli election count; Likud alleges fraud

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc secured 53 of parliament’s 120 seats in the final election count released early Oct. 30, falling short of an absolute parliamentary majority of 61 seats.

The opposition bloc led by former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot finished with 48 seats, while Arab-led parties captured a record 19, The Times of Israel reported, citing the Central Elections Committee. Turnout reached 77.9%, with more than 5.7 million votes cast, the outlet reported.

The results leave both Netanyahu and Eisenkot needing support from outside their existing alliances to secure a majority.

Israelis vote for political parties rather than directly electing a prime minister. Parties win seats in parliament, known as the Knesset, based on their share of the national vote and typically negotiate alliances to assemble a governing majority of at least 61 seats.

The Central Elections Committee is scheduled to formally present the official results to Israeli President Isaac Herzog Nov. 4, after completing its review of any remaining errors or complaints, according to the Times. Herzog will then consult with party representatives before choosing a lawmaker to attempt to form a government.

The lawmaker selected to form a government generally has 28 days to do so, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.

According to the Times, the newly elected parliament is scheduled to be sworn in Nov. 10, even if negotiations remain unresolved. Netanyahu’s outgoing government will continue serving until a successor takes office.

Herzog urged party leaders Oct. 28 to approach the negotiations with an open mind and avoid another election. 

“We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections. Therefore, I expect everyone who comes here to arrive with an open mind,” he said, according to The Jerusalem Post.

On Oct. 29, before the committee released the final count, Netanyahu’s Likud party alleged widespread electoral fraud.

In a statement Netanyahu shared on X, the party argued the elections were “stolen by Arab parties that support terrorism and the elimination of the Jewish state through serious criminal offenses of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries, and the use of prohibited software to mobilize voters.” 

“The Likud party is transferring to the police, the Shin Bet, and the Central Elections Committee hundreds of testimonies and pieces of evidence regarding election theft in many Arab polling stations,” the statement added.

Acting Central Elections Committee Director-General Dean Livne rejected allegations of fraud as baseless. In a letter reported by the Times, Livne wrote that officials had safeguarded election integrity and that, to the committee’s knowledge, there was “no basis to the claims regarding a systematic compromise of the integrity of the elections.” He said any investigation would not affect the final results.