With 85 % of ballots counted in Israel’s national election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allied parties are projected to secure 53 seats in the 120‑seat Knesset, according to the latest partial results.
The figure puts the Netanyahu bloc ahead of any other grouping but still well short of the 61 seats required for an outright majority, meaning a governing coalition will be necessary to form a stable government.
Likud’s allies include a range of right‑wing and religious parties that traditionally partner with the party in coalition talks, although the exact composition of the bloc has not been detailed in the current count.
Israel’s parliamentary system obliges the party or coalition that can command a majority of Knesset members to form the government, a process that often involves extensive negotiations and the inclusion of smaller parties to reach the required threshold.
Given the projected seat tally, Netanyahu will need to secure additional partners to reach the 61‑seat mark, a step that will shape the policy direction of the next administration and determine the balance of power among Israel’s diverse political factions.
<small>Source: BBC News — read the original story there.</small>
