Morning edition · October 28, 2026
Developing — Israel entered October 28 with its election count unfinished and neither major political camp holding a clear route to a governing majority. For voters seeking a settled answer after Tuesday’s ballot, the next stage could involve negotiations rather than an immediate transfer of power.
Reuters reported Wednesday that, with about 70.7% counted, Israeli media projected 54 seats for Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc, 47 for Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc and 19 for Arab parties. Those projections remain subject to change. A majority in the 120-seat Knesset requires 61 seats.
The count and the government are different questions
The Associated Press’s overnight reporting likewise described an unresolved contest and Netanyahu remaining caretaker prime minister. Its earlier count was at a different stage; figures from different reporting times should not be treated as competing final results.
A party’s lead is therefore only part of the story. The practical question is which parties can agree to support a government. Campaign statements claiming a mandate cannot substitute for a completed count or demonstrated parliamentary support.
How the next stage works
The Israeli president’s official explanation sets out the process. After consultations with parliamentary groups, the president assigns the task of forming a government to a Knesset member within seven days of the official results’ publication.
The first nominee normally has 28 days to complete that task. The president may grant extensions totaling no more than 14 additional days. If the attempt fails, the law provides further opportunities to form a government before a new election becomes necessary.
These are procedural windows, not predictions that negotiations will take a particular number of weeks. They explain why an election night can end without resolving who will lead the next administration.
For audiences following the regional consequences, the immediate distinction is between provisional electoral strength and the authority of a newly formed government. The count, the president’s consultations and actual coalition agreements will provide the next measurable developments.