Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc is leading in the country’s general election, according to partial results, but has yet to secure a majority in parliament, the BBC reported.
With 85% of the votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies are projected to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of the Israeli military, is expected to secure 48 seats through his Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have said they will seek to form a governing coalition.
Arab-led parties, which are projected to win a record 19 seats, could play a decisive role in determining the next government. However, all but one of the Jewish parties have pledged not to cooperate with them, potentially complicating coalition negotiations.
The final outcome remains uncertain, as between 430,000 and 480,000 ballots cast by soldiers and diplomats who did not vote physically at polling stations have yet to be counted. The BBC reported that the final results could take another day or two to emerge.
Once the results are confirmed, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult all political factions before asking the leader he considers most likely to succeed to attempt to form a government.
The coalition-building process could take several weeks. If the designated candidate fails to form a government, further attempts may follow before the country ultimately has to hold another election.
