Israel election exit polls: Likud first, Netanyahu bloc short of a majority

Exit polls from Israel's parliamentary election, released on Tuesday night, 27 October 2026, after the polls closed, show Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud as the largest party in the Knesset. His coalition, however, reaches only about 50 seats, well short of the 61-seat majority. DIAR earlier reported on the start of voting in this election.

According to Israel's Channel 12, Likud wins 24 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party 22. Channel 13 projects 25 seats for Likud and 23 for Yashar, and the public broadcaster Kan 25 and 21. All three polls put Netanyahu's coalition at 50 seats and the bloc opposing him at 52 to 53. Arab-led parties win 17 to 18 seats, which Israeli networks say is their largest share to date.

Why the result matters for the Islamic Republic

Netanyahu's coalition held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset. Neither bloc reaches a majority without the support of other parties, and Eisenkot needs the backing of Arab-led parties to form a government. In the days before the vote, Netanyahu spoke of the possibility of an Islamic Republic attack before the election, and Donald Trump urged Israelis to vote for him. During the campaign, Eisenkot said Netanyahu was not fit to lead a new round of operations against the Islamic Republic.

Turnout stood at 74.3% at 8 p.m. Israel time, compared with 66.3% at the same hour in the 2022 election. The official result will be announced after all votes are counted, and Israel's president is expected to hand the task of forming a government to one of the two candidates after consulting the parties.

Neither bloc in Israel's election reached the 61-seat majority in the exit polls.