No clear winner has emerged in Israel’s election, according to exit polls published on Tuesday night, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot reaching the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
The exit polls, published by Channels 11, 12 and 13 after polls closed at 10 p.m. local time, point to a prolonged period of coalition negotiations — and possibly another election.
What the exit polls show
Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win about 50 seats, while the opposition bloc — comprising Yashar, B’Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats — is projected to win 52 to 53 seats, depending on the channel. Channel 12 put the opposition on 52 seats and Channel 13 on 53; ranges vary slightly by broadcaster.
Netanyahu’s Likud is projected to receive 24 to 25 seats and remain the largest single party in the next Knesset. Eisenkot’s Yashar is expected to win 21 to 23 seats.
The Joint List and Ra’am, the Arab parties, are projected to win a record-breaking combined 17 to 18 seats, potentially making them pivotal to coalition talks. However, most opposition leaders have largely ruled out forming a government with the Arab parties, with the exception of the Democrats’ Yair Golan.
The smaller parties
Within the opposition bloc, Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad is projected to win 12 to 14 seats, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu 7 to 9 seats, and Yair Golan’s Democrats 9 to 10 seats.
In Netanyahu’s bloc, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit is projected to win 6 to 7 seats, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist–Zehut is projected to win 6 seats. The ultra-Orthodox parties are set to receive a combined 12 to 13 seats, with Shas on 6 and United Torah Judaism on 6 to 7.
Two small right-wing parties hovering near the electoral threshold — Ofer Winter’s People of Israel and Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists–Economic party — are both projected to fall short of the required 3.25% threshold.
Record turnout
Voter turnout reached 77.7% when polls closed at 10 p.m., according to the Central Elections Committee, up 7.1 percentage points on the 2022 election. Turnout had already reached 74.3% by 8 p.m., the highest at set times since at least 1973, according to committee records.
The vote was the first Israeli election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, and was widely described as the most consequential in Israel’s history. Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, having held the office for more than 19 years in total.
Opposition declares victory — but no coalition path is clear
Eisenkot and other opposition leaders declared the exit polls a victory for their bloc shortly after they were released.
“The initial exit poll results indicate a complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and his October 7 government,” Eisenkot said. “I will act immediately to implement the people’s decision, replace the Netanyahu government, and establish a Zionist government committed to military conscription as soon as possible.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the Netanyahu bloc had suffered “a crushing defeat,” while Golan said the opposition had been given “a historic opportunity to establish a genuine government of change.”
But neither side appeared to have a clear path to 61 seats. A unity government involving Netanyahu and Eisenkot has appeared unlikely: Eisenkot has rejected serving under Netanyahu, including in a rotation government, and other opposition leaders have also ruled out joining a coalition led by the prime minister.
The exit polls also raised the possibility of a minority government that could win a Knesset confidence vote without an absolute majority — though opposition within the bloc to relying on Arab parties could complicate that arrangement.
What happens next
Exit polls are projections, not official results. They have differed from final results in previous elections, and the official results will only be determined after ballots are counted. Al Jazeera reports the official results are due to be published on November 4.
If neither bloc can assemble a majority, the deadlock could ultimately lead to another election, although coalition negotiations may still produce an agreement between the parties.
Sources
- The Jerusalem Post: Israel election exit polls: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot both fail to win majority — https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913053
- USA Today: Israel’s election ends in apparent deadlock, exit polls show — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/10/27/israel-election-takeaways-benjamin-netanyahu-gadi-eisenkot/92361598007/
- Al Jazeera: Exit polls following Israeli elections indicate no clear winner — https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/27/exit-polls-following-israeli-elections-indicate-no-clear-winner
FAQ
Q: Who won Israel’s election? A: No one yet. Exit polls show no bloc with a majority. They are projections; official results are due on November 4.
Q: How many seats are needed to govern? A: 61 of the 120 Knesset seats. Netanyahu’s bloc is projected at about 50 and Eisenkot’s opposition bloc at 52-53.
Q: Which party won the most seats? A: Likud, with a projected 24-25 seats, ahead of Eisenkot’s Yashar on 21-23.
Q: Why do Arab parties matter this time? A: The Joint List and Ra’am are projected at a combined 17-18 seats, a record, but most opposition leaders have ruled out governing with them, which narrows both blocs’ coalition options.
