Israeli voters will head to the polls on Tuesday in an election with implications beyond the country’s borders.
It is Israel’s first election since October 7, 2023 attacks.The Palestinian Ministry of Health says Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,500 people. It is also the first vote since the US and Israel began their joint war against Iran in February.
Israelis vote for parties rather than directly electing a prime minister, with the Knesset’s 120 seats allocated through proportional representation. Parties must win at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament.
Because outright majorities are rare, parties typically form coalitions. The president asks a Knesset member — usually the leader best placed to assemble a 61-seat majority — to form a government. If repeated attempts fail, another election can be called.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads the right-wing Likud party, returned to power in late 2022 with a coalition including far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Recent polls put both Netanyahu’s bloc and the main opposition bloc, led by centrist former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, short of the 61 seats needed to govern, making smaller parties potentially decisive.
