# Netanyahu and Eisenkot face difficult paths to power as neither set to win majority

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/netanyahu-and-eisenkot-face-difficult-paths-to-power-as-neither-set-to-win-majority/
- Published: 2026-10-28T10:35:13+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T10:49:22+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC World (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjy561y4pl56o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Art, Culture, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Netanyahu’s bloc appears just short of a parliamentary majority.
- Arab-led parties could decide who forms the next government.
- Uncounted absentee ballots mean results may still shift.

## Summary

Partial results suggest Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud is the largest single party, but neither his bloc nor rival Gadi Eisenkot’s camp appears set to win a majority in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. The outcome matters because Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power, despite opposition parties’ stated reluctance to work with them.

Netanyahu’s bloc is just short of the 61 seats needed to govern, while Eisenkot may also struggle to assemble a majority without Arab-led parties. Turnout exceeded 77%, and Arab Israeli parties appear to have matched or improved on their previous record; however, many absentee ballots, mostly from soldiers, remain uncounted, so the picture may change over the next day or two. The election has also reflected deep divisions over Netanyahu’s leadership and Israel’s religious and nationalist direction.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.