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Israel president opens talks as rivals struggle to form government
President Isaac Herzog has begun consultations with Israel’s political parties after an election left neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot with enough seats to govern alone. Herzog must decide who gets the first chance to form a government, and is seeking to avoid another election amid deep political divisions after years of war and Netanyahu’s hard-right rule.
Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats in the 120-member parliament, while Eisenkot’s has 48; 61 are needed for a majority. Eisenkot could reach that threshold with support from Arab parties, which won 19 seats, but some opposition figures oppose relying on their votes. The process allows 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, for the first candidate to form a government; repeated failure could lead to fresh elections.
In short
- Herzog has started consultations after Israel’s election produced no majority.
- Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats; Eisenkot’s has 48.
- Arab parties’ 19 seats could shape efforts to form a government.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
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The case for
Netanyahu’s bloc could argue that its 53 seats make it the largest potential governing grouping and that Herzog should give it the first opportunity to negotiate a stable coalition. Supporters may also contend that a government should reflect voters who backed its parties and that avoiding another election requires allowing talks to run their course.
The case against
Eisenkot’s bloc could argue that its 48 seats, together with Arab parties’ 19 seats, offer a viable parliamentary route to the 61-seat majority and a change of leadership after years of hard-right rule. Supporters may say that excluding Arab parties despite their electoral mandate would weaken democratic representation, and that Herzog should consider which candidate can assemble a durable majority rather than simply favouring the largest bloc.
Explained simply
Israel is a parliamentary democracy, where voters elect members of the Knesset, the country’s 120-seat parliament. A government needs the support of at least 61 members, usually through an agreement among several parties.
The president is Isaac Herzog, whose role in forming a government includes asking a political leader to try to assemble a majority. Benjamin Netanyahu leads a right-wing bloc, while Gadi Eisenkot is an opposition leader; Arab parties also hold seats and may affect whether either side can reach a majority.
The process matters because a leader who cannot secure enough support may fail to form a government, potentially leading to another election. The negotiations take place amid political divisions following years of war and Netanyahu’s period in office.
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