Politics · Other · 2 hrs ago
Israelis face a tight election as hard-right politics gain ground
Israelis vote on Oct 27 in a close parliamentary election that could shape the country’s political direction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking another term after more than 19 years in office, on and off.
The Hamas attack of Oct 7, 2023, killed more than 1,200 people and was followed by wars involving Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
The attack deepened public demand for security, but many voters also blame Netanyahu’s government for failing to prevent it.
His Likud party fell from 28 seats in polls just before the attack to about 20 in recent surveys, while disputes over military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men have angered some supporters.
Neither main bloc appears close to a majority: Netanyahu’s coalition and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot each poll at about 52 seats, short of the 61 needed in the 120-seat Knesset.
The vote will test whether Israel continues its shift to the right, though the election outcome and the next government are not yet known.
Israelis are due to vote on Oct 27 in a tight election that could shape the country’s political direction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking another term after leading Israel through wars on several fronts.
Polls cited by the sources suggest neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition is on course for a majority.
The Hamas attack of Oct 7, 2023, and disagreements over military service and security are influencing the campaign.
- Who
- Israeli voters will choose among parties including Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and an opposition bloc that includes Gadi Eisenkot.
- What
- Israel is holding a parliamentary election in a tight race.
- When
- Oct 27, 2026.
- Where
- Israel.
- Why
- Voters will decide who governs after the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the wars that followed. The election may shape whether the country moves further toward hard-right politics.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Likud was polling at 28 seats, according to pollster Menachem Lazar.
Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, according to the Straits Times.
The Likud was polling at 19 seats, according to Lazar.
Israelis are due to vote in the parliamentary election.
- Election date
- Oct 27, 2026
- Knesset size
- 120 seats
- Seats needed for a majority
- 61
- Likud polling before the Oct 7 attack
- 28 seats on Oct 6, 2023
- Likud polling a week after the attack
- 19 seats
- Latest Likud polling cited by NZZ
- 20 seats
3 sources
What people are saying
I really think that these elections are about the future of the state in a literal sense.
Everyone in the country has a strong opinion about Netanyahu. People either hate him or adore him.
Netanyahu may have his perfect English, but even with perfect English he got us Oct 7.
The majority of Jewish Israelis consider themselves right-wing.