Netanyahu's Likud Falls Short of Majority in Israel Election, Coalition Talks Loom

Final election results in Israel have confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has fallen short of a parliamentary majority, raising the prospect of a coalition government. The Central Elections Committee (CEC) published the final distribution of seats for the 26th Knesset on Friday, with the new parliament scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.

While the Likud party emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, the pro-Netanyahu bloc secured just 53 seats, falling short of the 61-seat majority mark. The Yashar party won 21 seats, with the anti-Netanyahu bloc securing 48, followed by Arab factions with 19 seats.

The results mean Netanyahu will depend on a coalition arrangement to secure the necessary majority. President Isaac Herzog is expected to meet party representatives before nominating a candidate to form the next government.

Several coalition scenarios are being considered. A potential minority government led by Yesh Atid chief Gadi Eisenkot, which would rely on outside support from Arab parties, has been met with skepticism from Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas. Alternatively, a broader national unity government comprising Likud and opposition parties could theoretically secure a 66-seat majority. However, deep political differences between these factions make such an arrangement appear unlikely.

Adding another layer of complexity, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Likud party alleged that the election was "stolen" due to foreign funding and interference, specifically targeting Arab-led political parties. Following these claims, Justice Noam Sohlberg, chair of Israel’s central elections committee, asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate the allegations of foreign influence in the October 27 Israeli parliamentary elections.

What to watch: President Herzog's nomination and the ensuing coalition negotiations.

Editor's note: The draft captures all essential election data, the implications for coalition building, and the specific controversy regarding foreign interference allegations.