More than 77% of eligible voters cast ballots across the country on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, driving turnout to its highest level since 1999 in Israeli exit polls that show no clear winner in the first general election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc holds a narrow edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, with neither side securing the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.
Voters flocked to polling stations in unprecedented numbers on Tuesday.
Turnout reached its highest level since 1999. More than 77% of eligible voters cast ballots across the country, according to data from the Central Elections Committee. The surge reflects a deeply divided electorate rendering its verdict on a veteran leader who has served for nearly 19 of the past 30 years.
Exit Poll Projections Divide the Knesset
Major television networks presented divergent projections after voting closed at 10 p.m. local time.
A decisive mandate remains elusive. Channels 12 and 13 showed Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party leading the opposition bloc with 52 seats.
Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc held 50 seats. Kan 11 projected a tie at 51 seats apiece.
Netanyahu’s Likud party is projected to remain the single largest party in the 120-seat Knesset. It takes between 24 and 27 seats depending on the network.
Far-right religious factions led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are projected to win 13 seats within the incumbent coalition.
The initial exit poll results indicate a complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the government.
Gadi Eisenkot, opposition challenger and former military chief of staff
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed opposition celebrations as premature
as early returns trickled in from the Central Elections Committee.
Official results are scheduled to be published by November 4. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with parliamentary faction leaders then.
Arab Parties Surge in Parliament
Arab citizens of Israel make up roughly 20 percent of the population. Palestinian parties representing them show a dramatic surge in the new parliament.
Exit polls project that Arab-led lists will capture 17 to 18 seats. This is a sharp increase from the 10 seats held in the outgoing legislature.
This expansion places Arab lawmakers in a potential kingmaker position. Historical barriers complicate potential coalitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts his vote in a close election that could end his time in power. Follow AP's live updates. https://t.co/RLBjMCfUjC
Neither the opposition nor the incumbent bloc includes Arab parties. Their higher numbers mean mainstream factions must account for a voting bloc that cannot easily be sidelined.
The atmosphere outside polling stations reflected the high stakes of a nation shaped by ongoing regional wars. Diaspora communities from Norway watched anxiously from abroad.
Diaspora communities from the United States also watched anxiously from abroad. Tens of thousands of Israeli expatriates booked flights home to participate in what many described as a national emergency.
President Herzog Faces Government Formation Process
Israel faces weeks or months of intense political jockeying with no outright victor. President Herzog will select a candidate to attempt government formation.
He will give them up to 42 days to build a coalition that can survive a parliamentary confidence vote.
The mandate passes to another lawmaker for 28 days if the first designated leader fails. A third candidate could be given a final 14-day window should that effort also collapse.
Parliament then dissolves and Israelis return to the polls within 90 days. Netanyahu’s administration remains in power as a caretaker government until a new government takes office.
Netanyahu and Eisenkot Clash on Security
Netanyahu leaned heavily on his security credentials throughout the campaign. He warned supporters that his opponents represented a dangerous left-wing alternative.
He asserted that Israel’s enemies desired his defeat. Supporters of his government rallied around a hardline platform toward Iran, Lebanon, and Syria.
Eisenkot positioned his centrist Yashar party as a stabilizing alternative. It focused on effective governance and accountability following the failures surrounding the 2023 massacres.
Eisenkot previously served as Israel Defense Forces chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 before joining Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet.
International figures also weighed in on the race as results developed. United States President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu, celebrating their past joint operations and strong relationship.
Expatriates Return for High-Stakes Ballot
The urgency of the election resonated far beyond Israel’s borders. It drew thousands of expatriates back through programs and personal travel to cast ballots.
Many eligible citizens living abroad traveled back to vote despite legal hurdles attempted by the Likud-led government.
The Central Elections Committee reported a record-breaking turnout of over 77 percent back home. This surpassed participation rates seen in decades.
Authorities addressed minor disruptions, including localized voter bribery cases investigated near polling zones. They praised overall public engagement as the nation awaited the final count.
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