Israel Election Ends Without a Winner; Another Vote Possible... Could Netanyahu's Term Be Extended? (Updated)
Pro-Netanyahu: 50 Seats vs. Anti-Netanyahu: 52 Seats
Parliament Also Deadlocked in 2019 ... Five Elections in Three Years
According to exit polls for Israel's general election on October 27, 2026, neither the pro-government bloc seeking to extend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rule nor the anti-Netanyahu opposition bloc won a majority of seats. The opposition bloc narrowly led the pro-government bloc, but forming a coalition government is expected to be difficult. If neither side can form a coalition, another election will be held in early 2027. Analysts say this means Netanyahu's term will be extended until the next election.
Neither Side Wins a Majority ... Arab Parties Hold the Balance of Power
According to a joint exit poll by three major Israeli broadcasters - Kan 11, Channel 12 and Channel 13 - conducted immediately after the election, parties aligned with Netanyahu, including Likud, the ruling party he leads, are projected to win a total of 50 seats. The anti-Netanyahu opposition bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, is projected to win 52 seats. Neither side has secured the 61 seats needed for a majority in Israel's parliament.
The poll also found that the Joint List and Ra'am, Arab parties with pro-Palestinian leanings, won 11 and 7 seats, respectively. Either the governing or opposition bloc could form a coalition by joining forces with Arab parties. However, both sides have said they would not form a coalition with Arab parties since the war with Hamas began. They say they cannot join forces with Arab parties because Hamas is an armed group in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Both sides also made defeating Hamas a key campaign pledge.
With the election result expected to leave the pro- and anti-Netanyahu camps deadlocked, observers say it will be difficult to form a government quickly. According to The New York Times (NYT), after a general election, Israel's president gives the party considered capable of forming a coalition 28 days to put together a government. The period can be extended by 12 days if an extension is requested.
However, if parliament reaches an impasse and no party is able to form a coalition, another election is held. From 2019 to 2022, all parties in Israel failed to form a coalition government for three years, leading to five consecutive general elections. Netanyahu's administration eventually managed to form a government, paving the way for the current government to take office.
"Deadlock Favors Netanyahu" ... His Term Could Be Extended
Some analysts say the election result could work in Netanyahu's favor. One foreign media outlet noted, "It has historically taken an average of about 20 to 100 days to form a government after an Israeli election. If the deadlock in Israel's parliament prolongs the parties' attempts to form a coalition and they fail, triggering another election in early 2027, Netanyahu's term will be extended as he remains in office as interim prime minister."
Meanwhile, the election's deadlocked outcome has raised expectations that the United States and Israel will find it difficult to launch another offensive against Iran immediately after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, 2026, and international oil prices fell as a result. Brent crude for December delivery dropped 1.67% from the previous day to $113.88 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for December delivery fell 1.83% to $99.90 per barrel.
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The Times of Israel (TOI), a local Israeli outlet, reported, "Before the election, Netanyahu ordered the military to resume airstrikes on Iran, but the order was blocked after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposed it." It added, "If the parliamentary deadlock drags on and Netanyahu remains in office as interim prime minister, it will become even more difficult for him to resume attacks on Iran."
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