# Polls close in Israel after ‘record voter turnout’ in election that could see Netanyahu ousted from power

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/polls-close-in-israel-after-record-voter-turnout-in-election-that-could-see-netanyahu-ousted-from-power/
- Published: 2026-10-27T20:02:39+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T00:33:28+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16243831/israel-election-netanyahu.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Elections, Middle East, Politics, World

## Key points

- Turnout reached a record 74 per cent.
- Exit polls show neither main bloc near a majority.
- Arab-led parties could hold a pivotal role.

## Summary

Polls have closed in Israel after a record 74 per cent turnout, with early exit polls suggesting Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party will remain the largest in parliament. Neither the bloc backing him nor the main Jewish-led opposition bloc appears close to the 61 seats needed for a majority, leaving his political future uncertain and raising the prospect of difficult coalition talks or another stalemate.

Channel 12’s exit poll projects 52 seats for Jewish-led parties opposed to Netanyahu and 50 for parties backing him, in the 120-seat Knesset. Arab-led parties Ra’am and the Joint List are projected to win a record 18 seats and could influence coalition formation. Official results are expected in the coming days; Israelis vote for parties, which then form alliances, and the election is widely seen as a judgement on Netanyahu’s leadership since the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks and the subsequent regional wars.

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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.