Israel Election: What Happens After Polls Close

(MENAFN) Polling stations across Israel are scheduled to close at 10 pm local time (2000GMT) on Tuesday, setting off the vote-counting process and negotiations that could determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu retains power.

Approximately 7.3 million eligible voters are expected to choose the 120 members of the Knesset in Israel’s first general election since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. It is also the country’s first election held according to schedule since 1988.

Final opinion surveys before election day placed former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud. However, neither political alliance was projected to reach the 61 seats generally needed to secure a parliamentary majority and form a government.

Here is what is expected once voting concludes.

Exit Polls Offer First Indications

Israeli broadcasters Kan 11, Channel 12 and Channel 13 are expected to publish separate exit polls immediately after polling stations close.

The initial projections will offer an early indication of the number of parliamentary seats each party could win and whether Netanyahu or Eisenkot may have a viable path toward forming a government with majority support.

However, exit polls are estimates rather than official results based on counted ballots. Differences between the broadcasters’ projections could be particularly important because several parties are polling close to the electoral threshold of 3.25%.

Any party that fails to cross this threshold would be excluded from parliament, potentially affecting how seats are distributed between competing political blocs.

Seat Projections Point To A Divided Parliament

Final surveys conducted before the election projected that Yashar would win between 22 and 23 seats, while Likud was expected to secure between 19 and 21.

Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious alliance was forecast to obtain approximately 50 seats, short of the 61 needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Meanwhile, the principal opposition parties were projected to collectively secure between 52 and 56 seats. Palestinian-led parties were expected to win a combined total of 14 to 16 seats.

These projections suggest that the final outcome may depend not only on which party finishes first but also on the ability of political leaders to negotiate alliances and assemble sufficient parliamentary support after the results are confirmed.

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