N-EXTENT | News Desk
TEL AVIV — Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu has suffered a significant electoral setback, but his political career may not be over just yet. Israel’s latest parliamentary election has deprived the veteran prime minister of the majority he needs to govern, opening the door to a possible change of leadership. Yet the result has produced no clear winner, leaving the country facing potentially weeks of difficult coalition negotiations.
Netanyahu’s Likud party emerged as the largest single party, securing 27 seats. But his right-wing and religious alliance managed only 53 seats in total, well short of the 61 required for a majority. The opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties achieved a historic combined total of 19. With voter turnout reaching 77.9%, the highest since 1999, the election demonstrated substantial public engagement with the country's political future.
For Netanyahu, the outcome represents a serious reversal after years of political dominance. His government has faced mounting criticism over the security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks, the subsequent war in Gaza, and deep divisions within Israeli society. The election has not necessarily settled the public debate over his leadership, but it has made his path to another governing majority considerably more difficult.
A victory, but not yet a government
Opposition figures have understandably presented the result as a turning point. In a statement shared on October 30, former prime minister Yair Lapid described the outcome as a "victory on points rather than a knockout." He highlighted the high turnout and argued that Netanyahu had been left without a viable parliamentary majority. Lapid also urged supporters to exercise patience, warning that forming a government would require quiet, painstaking negotiations rather than the constant public drama of an election campaign.
His metaphor was telling: this is the time of the watchmakers, not the gong-strikers. The task now is to move carefully, one political piece at a time, until a workable parliamentary majority emerges.
But the arithmetic remains complicated. Eisenkot's bloc cannot reach 61 without some form of cooperation with Arab-led parties. Such an arrangement remains politically contentious, particularly among opposition members who have ruled out relying on their support. Netanyahu, meanwhile, could attempt to attract defectors from the opposition or explore a broader coalition. Another election cannot be ruled out if negotiations fail.
The end of an era?
The election has weakened Netanyahu's position, but it has not yet ended his premiership. He remains in office while the political negotiations unfold, and the coming weeks will determine whether the opposition can turn its electoral gains into a functioning government.
For many Israelis seeking a departure from the politics of recent years, the result offers an opportunity. Yet an opportunity is not the same as transformation. The watchmakers now have their work cut out for them.
N-EXTENT — Beyond the Headlines
