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Exit Polls Show Netanyahu Bloc Misses 61-Majority in Israel

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 22:00 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Israelis held a parliamentary election on Tuesday, October 27 2026.
Exit polls showed neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition “change bloc” reached the 61-seat majority.
Likud was projected to win 24-25 seats, remaining the Knesset’s largest party.
Arab parties, projected at 17-18 seats, could become pivotal in coalition talks.
Turnout reached about 74 % of 7.3 million eligible voters, the highest since 1973.

History

On 17 May 1977 Israel held its ninth Knesset election, and Likud under Menachem Begin won 43 seats, ending nearly three decades of Labor dominance—a shift known as the Mahapach. The 1977 turnout was 79%. Today’s fragmented 2026 race, with Netanyahu’s Likud projected at about 24-25 seats, echoes that historic power transition and the kingmaker role of small parties.

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Historical Context

On 17 May 1977 Israel held its ninth Knesset election, and Likud under Menachem Begin won 43 seats, ending nearly three decades of Labor dominance—a shift known as the Mahapach. The 1977 turnout was 79%. Today’s fragmented 2026 race, with Netanyahu’s Likud projected at about 24-25 seats, echoes that historic power transition and the kingmaker role of small parties.

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