Israeli Election: Exit Polls Show No Clear Majority

Exit polls released Tuesday night show no party or alliance holding a majority in the Israeli Knesset. The data projects that the bloc led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will claim 50 seats. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is projected to win 52 or 53 seats. A total of 61 seats are required to form a governing majority.

Arab parties are projected to secure 18 seats collectively. This result leaves the legislature fragmented, with neither side commanding the necessary vote count to govern alone. The polls suggest a tight contest between the two main contenders for leadership.

Polling stations closed at 10:00 p.m. local time. Preliminary results are scheduled for Wednesday, with a final tally expected on Friday. The Central Elections Committee will publish official results on November 4, eight days after the vote. The committee rejected a request from Netanyahu's Likud Party to extend voting hours.

Voter turnout reached 74.3 percent as of 8:00 p.m. local time, according to the Central Elections Committee. This figure exceeds the 70.63 percent turnout recorded in the 2022 election. Exit polls are derived from interviews conducted with voters immediately after they cast their ballots. These methods have historically anticipated final results closely.

The contest is viewed by many as a direct assessment of Netanyahu's management of the conflict in Gaza. The war began three years ago following Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, is a former army chief. The race is the first national vote since the start of that war.