Israel votes in election seen as test for Netanyahu
Israelis voted on 27 Oct 2026 in a national election that could end Benjamin Netanyahu's long run as prime minister. Turnout reached 77.7 percent by 10 p.m. local time, the highest since 1999, according to the Central Elections Committee. Exit polls project opposition parties winning more seats than Netanyahu's coalition, with Likud projected at 25 of 120 seats, but neither side appears to reach the 61 needed for a majority. Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, leads the main challenge. The vote is the first since the 7 Oct 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
Key facts
- Netanyahu has served as prime minister for 19 years, the longest of any Israeli leader.
- Exit polls swung between Netanyahu and Eisenkot during the evening count.
- Coalition talks could take days or weeks if no bloc wins a majority.
- About 7.3 million people were eligible to vote in the election.
Summarised with AI from 5 sourcesRead our AI policy
Why it matters
The result could decide Israel's next government after a first election since the 2023 attacks and wars in Gaza.
What changed
First published from The Jerusalem Post, The National, Al-Monitor, Middle East Eye and Anadolu Agency