JTA Israel Votes 2026Election Day: Oct. 27
Election Day · Oct. 27, 2026

Who will govern Israel?

Israelis choose a new prime minister and a new Knesset, their 120-seat parliament, on Oct. 27.

61 = majority120SEATS
0Opposition
0Unaligned
0Netanyahu bloc

JTA poll of polls, Oct. 12. Updates with every new poll. Unaligned parties have not committed to either camp.

One national vote. 120 seats. 61 to govern. New to Israeli elections? Start here →

Latest poll Oct. 12Updated Oct. 13, 11:14 p.m. ET45 polls since the final candidate lists were filed Sept. 8

JTA poll of polls

Where the race stands: the newest survey from each of Israel's 8 polling firms, combined into one projection of which parties will claim the Knesset's 120 seats. The party that can gather allies to reach 61 seats forms the government and names the prime minister. How we combine them is in the notes at the bottom of the page.

The chart groups parties by the camp they are expected to join after the vote; it takes 61 of 120 seats to govern. The numbers group the same parties by ideology. Pick one to see where those parties sit. How we group parties →

 Opposition 50  Opposition 50  Unaligned 21  Unaligned 21  Netanyahu bloc 49  Netanyahu bloc 49 120SEATS

Hover, tap or tab to a party for details.

Yashar Eisenkot
2120–24
Likud Netanyahu
2019–29
B'yachad Bennett
127–14
The Democrats Golan
98–10
United Torah Judaism Asher
87–8
Otzma Yehudit Ben-Gvir
86–9
Yisrael Beiteinu Lieberman
85–10
Joint List Jabareen
87–9
Shas Deri
77–10
RZP–Zehut Smotrich
65–7
Ra'am Abbas
55–6
Amcha Yisrael Winter
44–5 · in 6 of 8
Reservists Hendel
44–4 · in 5 of 8
Blue and White Gantz
out in 7 of 7
Haredi Public Leitner
out in 6 of 6

The bold number is each party's projected seats, the midpoint of what the pollsters say; the smaller numbers are the lowest and highest projections. “In 6 of 8” means six of eight pollsters have the party getting at least 3.25% of the vote, the threshold a party needs to clear to win any seats. Parties shown as “out” are under the threshold in most polls.

How the race has moved

Each party's projected seats over time, using the newest poll from each firm in the previous two weeks, from the first poll after the parties' lists of candidates were filed on Sept. 8.

0102030Sept. 8Sept. 15Sept. 23Sept. 29Oct. 5Oct. 12Yashar 21.0Likud 20.0B'yachad 12.5Democrats 9.0UTJ 8.0Otzma 8.0Yisrael Beiteinu 8.0Joint List 8.0Shas 7.0RZP–Zehut 6.0Ra'am 5.0Amcha 4.0Reservists 4.0

Build a coalition

Tap parties to add them to a government. It takes 61 seats. The builder opens with the Netanyahu bloc already selected so you can see at a glance how far it is from 61.

Seat numbers come from the JTA poll of polls, which combines the newest survey from each of 8 polling firms.

Group parties by:

Parties grouped by the camp they are expected to join after the vote. Unaligned parties have not committed to either camp. How we group parties →

Netanyahu bloc
Opposition
Unaligned

Campaign red lines In progress · updated Oct. 12

What party leaders have said on the record about whom they will not govern with. These are campaign promises, and some will bend after the vote: Benny Gantz joined Netanyahu's government in 2020 after vowing not to, and Naftali Bennett governed with Ra'am in 2021 after saying he wouldn't. The builder above shows which of these promises any coalition would break. Positions can shift after the vote.

Won't sit with Netanyahu

  • B'yachadNaftali Bennett: “We will not sit in a government with him under any circumstances.” Times of Israel, Oct. 11
  • YasharGadi Eisenkot rejected a power-sharing deal, saying Netanyahu, like everyone in the cabinet on Oct. 7, is “unfit to lead.” Times of Israel, Sept. 17
  • Yisrael BeiteinuAvigdor Lieberman: “Come hell or high water, we will not sit in a government with Netanyahu.” Times of Israel, Oct. 11
  • The DemocratsYair Golan: “Netanyahu will not sit in any government as long as it depends on The Democrats.” Ynet, Oct. 11

Won't sit with Shas and United Torah Judaism

  • Yisrael BeiteinuAvigdor Lieberman said Yisrael Beiteinu will not sit in a government with Shas or United Torah Judaism (in a Hebrew interview with N12). N12, May 17
  • The DemocratsYair Golan: “The Haredim will be outside [the government], that is a guarantee.” Times of Israel, May 27
  • The Reservists–Economic PartyYoaz Hendel: the party's mission is “a Zionist government, and not Netanyahu with the haredim … We will not be the 61st seat there either.” Jerusalem Post, Aug. 23
  • Blue and WhiteBenny Gantz: “The haredi parties can't be part of the next government because they won't agree to a fair enlistment law.” Jerusalem Post, Aug. 20

Won't sit with the Arab parties (Ra'am or the Joint List)

A party that has ruled out Ra'am is counted here as ruling out the Joint List too.

  • YasharGadi Eisenkot: Ra'am “won't be part of my next government.” Times of Israel, Sept. 26
  • Religious Zionism–ZehutAsked whether the 2021 government's formation or Oct. 7 was the greater calamity, Bezalel Smotrich said: “Of course, the formation of the government with [Ra'am chief] Mansour Abbas.” Times of Israel, May 5
  • Amcha YisraelOfer Winter, in a Channel 12 interview: “taking your voters' choice and going with anti-Zionist Arab parties, I'm not doing that.” JFeed, Sept. 3
  • Blue and WhiteBlue and White: “a broad, Zionist consensus government, without Ben Gvir and without Ra'am.” Times of Israel, Jan. 14
  • Yisrael BeiteinuAvigdor Lieberman: “No coalition will be formed with the Arab parties.” Israel National News, Oct. 4
  • The Reservists–Economic PartyYoaz Hendel: “I will not sit with the Arab parties.” Jerusalem Post, Aug. 23

Won't sit with Otzma Yehudit

Most opposition parties have also said they will not sit with Netanyahu, whose bloc includes Otzma Yehudit.

  • Blue and WhiteBlue and White: “a broad, Zionist consensus government, without Ben Gvir and without Ra'am.” Times of Israel, Jan. 14
  • B'yachadNaftali Bennett: “Itamar Ben-Gvir has no place in my government.” Jerusalem Post, Feb. 21
  • The DemocratsYair Golan said he would back a government only “provided that Likud, Smotrich, and Ben Gvir are not there.” Times of Israel, May 27

Won't join any coalition

  • Joint ListThe Joint List says it will not join a coalition, though it would back an anti-Netanyahu government from outside. Yousef Jabareen: “We are not giving anyone a blank check.” Times of Israel, Oct. 11
Waiting for 61: JTA's Israel election podcast, with Ruth Eglash and Ami Eden
New daily podcast · Out now

Waiting for 61

Every weekday through the election and the coalition talks that follow, JTA's reporters break down the polls, the parties and the deals in 15 minutes. The number to watch is 61.

Latest episode · Oct. 13Does October 7 Matter in This Israeli Election?
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The parties and their candidates

Every party list registering in the polls: its leader, outgoing seats, projected seats, the top names on the candidate list it filed with the Central Elections Committee, and which party it will give any surplus votes to.

Yashar ישר

Led by Gadi Eisenkot
OppositionSurplus deal: The DemocratsNew list
0Outgoing seats
21Projected seats pollsters' range 20–24
  • Founded in 2025 by former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, who served in Netanyahu’s national unity coalition after Oct. 7 but quit over policy differences
  • His son and two nephews were killed in the Gaza war; would be Israel’s first Mizrahi prime minister
  • Opposes Palestinian statehood; supports mandatory service for haredi and Arab citizens, democratic safeguards, an Oct. 7 inquiry
Policy plans (in Hebrew) →
Top of the candidate list (25 shown)
  1. Gadi Eisenkot
  2. Yoram Cohen
  3. Orit Farkash-Hacohen
  4. Adi Altschuler
  5. Matan Kahana
  6. Hili Tropper
  7. Shaul Meridor
  8. Tair Ifergan
  9. Oshrat Gani Gonen
  10. Shira Shapira
  11. Inbar Harush Gity
  12. Elazar Stern
  13. Kamil Abu Rokon
  14. Devorah Sharifian Bachar
  15. Alex Rif
  16. Inbar Yehezkeli
  17. Roy Folkman
  18. Israel Zari
  19. Tal Ohana
  20. Elisaf Peretz
  21. Yaffa Tabaja
  22. Nir Hagbi
  23. Ron Barkai
  24. Shay Fisher
  25. Lian Folk David

Likud הליכוד

Led by Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu blocSurplus deal: Religious Zionism–Zehut
32Outgoing seats
20Projected seats pollsters' range 19–29
  • Founded in 1973 as an alliance of parties led by Menachem Begin’s Herut; now led by Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Has led multiple governments since 1977; has led every government since 2009 with Netanyahu as prime minister, except from 2021–22
  • Supports hawkish security policies, settlement expansion, curbing of Supreme Court powers; opposes an Oct. 7 state commission
Top of the candidate list (25 shown)
  1. Benjamin Netanyahu
  2. Eli Cohen
  3. Amir Ohana
  4. Yariv Levin
  5. Miri Regev
  6. Israel Katz
  7. Gideon Sa'ar
  8. Ofir Katz
  9. Talik Gvili
  10. Yoav Kisch
  11. Yaakov Bardugo
  12. Miki Zohar
  13. Almog Cohen
  14. Amichai Chikli
  15. Elisha Medan
  16. David Peter
  17. Moshe Saada
  18. Haim Katz
  19. Dudi Amsalem
  20. Eti Atiya
  21. Boaz Bismuth
  22. David Bitan
  23. Shlomo Karhi
  24. Nir Barkat
  25. Gila Gamliel

B'yachad ביחד

Led by Naftali Bennett
OppositionSurplus deal: Yisrael Beiteinu
24Outgoing seats
12Projected seats pollsters' range 7–14
  • Unites Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, successive prime ministers in the 18-month “Change Government” that ousted Netanyahu in 2021
  • Lapid, formerly of the centrist Yesh Atid, ceded leadership to Bennett, saying Israelis wanted a right-wing leader after Oct. 7
  • Combines hawkish security policies with support for haredi conscription, civil marriage, LGBTQ equality, an Oct. 7 state inquiry
Policy plans (in English) →
Top of the candidate list (25 shown)
  1. Naftali Bennett
  2. Yair Lapid
  3. Keren Terner Eyal
  4. Meirav Ben-Ari
  5. Liran Avishar Ben-Horin
  6. Noam Tibon
  7. Michal Negri
  8. Eitan Ginzburg
  9. Meirav Cohen
  10. Yonatan Shalev
  11. Bruria Naim Arman
  12. Ram Ben-Barak
  13. Amir Strugo
  14. Naor Shiri
  15. Nissam Ze'evi
  16. Vladimir Beliak
  17. Orly Harel
  18. Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu
  19. Shahar Varon
  20. Yasmin Fridman
  21. Esti Ayalon Kobo
  22. Jeremy Saltan
  23. Neta Attias
  24. Tzvi Plotnitzky
  25. Moshe Tur-Paz

The Democrats הדמוקרטים

Led by Yair Golan
OppositionSurplus deal: Yashar
4Outgoing seats
9Projected seats pollsters' range 8–10
  • Formed in 2024 by merging Labor and Meretz, creating Israel’s only major left-wing Zionist party
  • Led by Yair Golan, former deputy IDF chief who rescued civilians on Oct. 7
  • Opposes West Bank annexation and illegal outposts; supports eventual Palestinian statehood, haredi conscription, civil marriage, LGBTQ equality, democratic safeguards
Party platform (in Hebrew) →
Top of the candidate list (25 shown)
  1. Yair Golan
  2. Naama Lazimi
  3. Gilad Kariv
  4. Efrat Rayten
  5. Yaya Fink
  6. Gaby Lasky
  7. Omri Ronen
  8. Michal Rozin
  9. Moshe Radman
  10. Somaya Bashir
  11. Nimrod Sheffer
  12. Moran Zer Katzenstein
  13. Avi Dabush
  14. Emilie Moatti
  15. Tomer Avital
  16. Nava Rozolyo
  17. Ram Shefa
  18. Ali Salalha
  19. Rotem Sivan
  20. Eran Etzion
  21. Moran Michel
  22. Mossi Raz
  23. Ghaleb Salamaneh
  24. Katy Piasecki-Morag
  25. Amir Khnifess

United Torah Judaism יהדות התורה

Led by Ya'akov Asher
Netanyahu bloc
7Outgoing seats
8Projected seats pollsters' range 7–8
  • Merger of Degel HaTorah and Agudat Israel in 1992 to become the main Ashkenazi haredi party
  • MK Yaakov Asher heads the party under the spiritual guidance of Rabbis Dov Lando and Aryeh Alter
  • Part of five Netanyahu coalitions until withdrawing in 2025 over the haredi draft issue; opposes the draft for yeshiva students, civil marriage, public transport on Shabbat
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Ya'akov Asher
  2. Yitzhak Goldknopf
  3. Yitzhak Pindrus
  4. Meir Porush
  5. Moshe Rosenthal
  6. Elyakim Stark
  7. Yehuda Weisfish
  8. Ya'akov Tessler
  9. Dudi Zeltz
  10. David Ohana
  11. Moshe Roth
  12. Eliyahu Baruchi
  13. Israel Porush
  14. Yitzhak Reich
  15. Yosef Bahem
  16. Ya'akov Asher Guterman
  17. Yossi Daitsh
  18. Shmuel Greenberg
  19. Yehiel Aryeh Vinterberg
  20. Yitzhak Ravitz

Otzma Yehudit עוצמה יהודית

Led by Itamar Ben-Gvir
Netanyahu bloc
6Outgoing seats
8Projected seats pollsters' range 6–9
  • Far-right party led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a disciple of extremist rabbi Meir Kahane; has been in the Knesset since 2021
  • Ben-Gvir championed harsher Palestinian prisoner conditions and Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount; extremist settler attacks have surged under him
  • Supports West Bank annexation, Palestinian emigration from Gaza, voluntary over forced haredi enlistment
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Itamar Ben-Gvir
  2. Tally Gotliv
  3. Yitzhak Wasserlauf
  4. Amihai Eliyahu
  5. Limor Son Har-Melech
  6. Yitzhak Kroizer
  7. Hanamel Dorfman
  8. Tzachi Eliyahu
  9. Yossi Goldberger
  10. Itiel Ne'eman
  11. David Babli
  12. Yishai Fleisher
  13. Shiran Mirzai
  14. Shimi Golan
  15. Yaniv Badelov
  16. Aychlutm Masala
  17. Gadi Mazuz
  18. Mordechai Prizis
  19. Aharon Amar
  20. Or Eliya Yomtobian

Yisrael Beiteinu ישראל ביתנו

Led by Avigdor Lieberman
OppositionSurplus deal: B'yachad
6Outgoing seats
8Projected seats pollsters' range 5–10
  • Founded in 1999 by Avigdor Liberman to represent largely secular, Russian-speaking immigrants but includes other right-wing voters
  • Liberman, a former defense, finance and foreign minister, has become a fierce Netanyahu rival
  • Supports hawkish security policies, mandatory military or civilian service for haredi and Arab citizens, civil marriage, Shabbat transportation, an Oct. 7 inquiry
Party platform (in Hebrew) →
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Avigdor Lieberman
  2. Rafi Ben Shitrit
  3. Talya Lankri
  4. Oded Forer
  5. Yulia Malinovsky
  6. Sharon Sharabi
  7. Hamad Amar
  8. Evgeny Sova
  9. Elvira Kolihman
  10. Dan Illouz
  11. Lily Ben Ami
  12. Yael Benvenisti
  13. David Azulai
  14. Limor Magen Telem
  15. Israel Ben Shitrit
  16. Sharon Roffe Ofir
  17. Mor Dekel
  18. Michaela Levin-Shamir
  19. Olivier Rafowicz
  20. Yaakov (Yanki) Mozes

Joint List הרשימה המשותפת

Led by Yousef Jabareen
UnalignedSurplus deal: Ra'am
5Outgoing seats
8Projected seats pollsters' range 7–9
  • Founded in 2015 and reconstituted several times, it now includes the far-left Jewish-Arab party Hadash and Arab parties Ta’al and Balad
  • Party head Yousef Jabareen of Hadash, a legal scholar, has said it would support a non-Netanyahu-led government from outside the coalition
  • Opposes a draft; supports civil and political equality for all citizens and a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 lines
Economic plan (in English) →
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Yousef Jabareen
  2. Ahmad Tibi
  3. Faten Ghattas
  4. Bakhar Awawdeh
  5. Ofer Cassif
  6. ⁠Youssef Atauna
  7. Maha Karkabi
  8. Ahmed Darawshe
  9. Nihaya Washahi
  10. Hassan Nassasra
  11. Zakhlaka Haitam
  12. Iyas Natour
  13. Abdullah Jessan
  14. Orly Noy
  15. Mor Stoler
  16. Iyatmad Qadan
  17. Omar Wached
  18. Muid Miyari
  19. Ghanim Ghazawi
  20. Umaniya Zoabi

Shas ש״ס

Led by Aryeh Deri
Netanyahu bloc
11Outgoing seats
7Projected seats pollsters' range 7–10
  • Founded in 1984 as the main Sephardi haredi party
  • MK Aryeh Deri heads the party under the spiritual guidance of former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef
  • Part of five Netanyahu coalitions until withdrawing in 2025 over the haredi draft issue; opposes the draft for yeshiva students, civil marriage, public transport on Shabbat
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Aryeh Deri
  2. Yinon Azoulay
  3. Michael Malkieli
  4. Yoav Ben Tzur
  5. Haim Biton
  6. Dror Amos
  7. Moshe Abutbul
  8. Uriel Buso
  9. Yosef Taieb
  10. Yonatan Mishraki
  11. Yosef Alnathanov
  12. Erez Malul
  13. Semion Moshiashvili
  14. Uriel Cohen
  15. Israel Tzadka
  16. Rafael Nimni
  17. Moshe Ben-Naim
  18. Masiash Rafael Eran Avichai
  19. Ariel Asher
  20. Netanel Mor Yosef

Religious Zionism–Zehut הציונות הדתית–זהות

Led by Bezalel Smotrich
Netanyahu blocSurplus deal: Likud
7Outgoing seats
6Projected seats pollsters' range 5–7
  • Created in 2021 by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right party draws much of its support from the right-wing flank of the national religious movement
  • Part of Netanyahu’s government and expected to remain in his coalition
  • Supports limiting Supreme Court powers, opposes civil marriage and religious pluralism, calls for rebuilding Jewish settlements in Gaza and for annexing the West Bank
Top of the candidate list (20 shown)
  1. Bezalel Smotrich
  2. Moshe Feiglin
  3. Orit Strook
  4. Simcha Rothman
  5. Tzvika Mor
  6. Itamar Eitam
  7. Zvi Sukkot
  8. Yitzhak Zaga
  9. Reut Ben Haim
  10. Omer Patziniach
  11. Arcady Mutter
  12. Ohad Tal
  13. Roei Kirshberg
  14. Omer Rahamim
  15. Sima Hasson
  16. Shmuel Sasson
  17. Shirel Lalum-Nahir
  18. Zvika Vishingrad
  19. Iris Bernstein
  20. Eitan Tam

Ra'am רע״ם

Led by Mansour Abbas
UnalignedSurplus deal: Joint List
5Outgoing seats
5Projected seats pollsters' range 5–6
  • Founded in 1996 as an Arab Islamist party with roots in Israel's Islamic Movement; later ran with the Joint List and Balad
  • Leader MK Mansour Abbas in 2020 embraced pragmatism and entered Naftali Bennett’s coalition in 2021; its No. 2 is Jewish MK Yoav Segalovich
  • Focused on combating crime and improving the economic and educational standing of Arab citizens
Top of the candidate list (10 shown)
  1. Mansour Abbas
  2. Yoav Segalovitz
  3. Waleed Taha
  4. Waleed Alhwashla
  5. Iman Khatib-Yassin
  6. Yasir Hujeirat
  7. Ibrahim Al-Turi
  8. Abd El-Karim Masri
  9. Izzam Abd El-Karim
  10. Ibrahim Abu-Laben

Amcha Yisrael עמך ישראל

Led by Ofer Winter
UnalignedNew list
0Outgoing seats
4Projected seats pollsters' range 4–5; in 6 of 8 polls
  • Founded this year by former Brig.-Gen. Ofer Winter
  • Winter has said he would back Netanyahu as prime minister but has zigzagged, prompting speculation that he could join the opposition
  • Supports compulsory military enlistment for haredi men, curbing the Supreme Court, building settlements in Gaza, voluntary emigration of Palestinians from the enclave
Founding principles (in Hebrew) →
Top of the candidate list (10 shown)
  1. Ofer Winter
  2. Yoseph Haddad
  3. Netali Shem Tov
  4. Eran Ben-Ari
  5. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum
  6. Lali Derai
  7. Ronen Bodner
  8. Davidi Ben-Zion
  9. Aviv Ezra
  10. Sigal Kraunik-Attia

The Reservists–Economic Party המילואימניקים–הכלכלית

Led by Yoaz Hendel
UnalignedNew list
0Outgoing seats
4Projected seats pollsters' range 4–4; in 5 of 8 polls
  • A merger of the Economic Party created in 2020 by economist Yaron Zelekha and the Reservists formed in 2025 by Yoaz Hendel, a former communications minister
  • Hendel has called for a national unity coalition of Zionist parties that is not dependent on haredi or Arab-Israeli parties
  • Supports compulsory military service for haredi men; opposes Palestinian statehood
Party platform (in Hebrew) →
Top of the candidate list (10 shown)
  1. Yoaz Hendel
  2. Yaron Zelekha
  3. Einat Wilf
  4. Haviv Volibovich
  5. Yoav Adomi
  6. Ofir Langman
  7. Shlomi Dimri
  8. Lior Gilboa
  9. Tehila Peretz
  10. Shalom Biton

Blue and White כחול לבן

Led by Benny Gantz
Unaligned
8Outgoing seats
—Projected seats under threshold in 7 of 7 polls
  • Created in 2019 by former IDF Chief of Staff and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz; in past elections has run neck-and-neck with Likud but now unlikely to win any seats
  • Gantz joined Netanyahu’s national unity coalition after Oct. 7 but left over policy differences
  • Supports a Zionist national unity government, military or national service for all Israelis; opposes a Palestinian state
Top of the candidate list (10 shown)
  1. Benny Gantz
  2. Pnina Tamano-Shata
  3. Aliza Bloch
  4. Roee Konkol
  5. Rotem Avidar Tzalik
  6. Alon Schuster
  7. Mufid Mari
  8. Yehudit Uliel Malka
  9. Ariel Baziz
  10. Moria Silfan

Haredi Public הציבור החרדי

Led by Moti Leitner
UnalignedNew list
0Outgoing seats
—Projected seats under threshold in 6 of 6 polls
  • Founded this year by Beit Shemesh Deputy Mayor Moti Leitner
  • First haredi party to include a mix of men and women on its list
  • Supports more integration of the haredi population into Israeli society, including by military service for haredi men not in yeshivas
Party platform (in English) →
Top of the candidate list (10 shown)
  1. Moti Leitner
  2. Freddy Asher
  3. Nahumi Yaffa
  4. Zivva Glantz
  5. Mordechai Rubinstein
  6. Yitzhak Edelstein
  7. Aharon Unghar
  8. Yehuda Oppenheimer
  9. Haim Gotliv
  10. Yona Shlomo Kaufman

Outgoing seats shown total 115 of 120: New Hope's four seats, whose members now run on the Likud list, and Noam's one seat are not broken out.

How Israeli elections work

One national district, 38 parties and 120 Knesset seats. Winning the most seats does not make you prime minister. Assembling a majority of 61 does.

120

Knesset seats, all elected at once in a single nationwide district and allocated by the percentage of the vote a given party receives.

3.25%

Share of the national vote a list needs to win any seats, roughly 150,000 votes. Fall short and those votes are discarded.

61

Seats needed for a majority. No party has ever won one alone, so every government is a coalition.

38

Party lists rank-ordering candidates filed with the Central Elections Committee. Voters pick a party, not a candidate. The higher the percentage of the vote a party wins, the more candidates from the list make it into the Knesset.

28 + 14

Days the president's nominee gets to form a government, plus a possible extension. If that fails, another member of Knesset can try with no possible extension.

Surplus deals

Pairs of parties can pool leftover votes so the fraction one would waste helps the other win a seat.

Key dates

  • Oct. 27Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Nov. 4Official results published by the Central Elections Committee
  • Nov. 11By about now: president tasks a Knesset member with forming a government
  • Dec. 928-day mandate expires; president may grant a 14-day extension

Latest from JTA

JTA's most recent election coverage.

Every election since 1949

Twenty-five Knesset elections, who won the most seats, who became prime minister, and how many Israelis turned out.

Turnout, 1949–2022

60%70%80%90%1949: 86.9%19491951: 75.2%1955: 82.8%1959: 81.6%1961: 81.4%19611965: 83%1969: 81.2%1973: 78.6%1977: 79.2%19771981: 77.8%1984: 78.8%1988: 79.7%1992: 77.4%19921996: 79.3%1999: 78.7%2003: 67.8%2006: 63.5%20062009: 64.7%2013: 67.8%2015: 72.4%April 2019: 68.5%2019Sept. 2019: 69.8%2020: 71.5%2021: 67.4%2022: 70.6%2022
ElectionKnessetLargest listPrime ministerTurnout
2022Nov. 125Likud (32)Benjamin NetanyahuNetanyahu's sixth government, the most right-wing in Israel's history.70.6%
2021March 2324Likud (30)Naftali BennettEight-party 'change' coalition; Bennett rotated to Yair Lapid in 2022.67.4%
2020March 223Likud (36)Benjamin NetanyahuNetanyahu–Gantz unity government; collapsed within a year.71.5%
Sept. 2019Sept. 1722Blue and White (33)NoneSecond deadlock of the year; no government formed.69.8%
April 2019April 921Likud (35)NoneLikud and Blue and White tied at 35. No government formed; Knesset dissolved itself.68.5%
2015March 1720Likud (30)Benjamin NetanyahuFirst election with the 3.25% threshold.72.4%
2013Jan. 2219Likud Yisrael Beiteinu (31)Benjamin Netanyahu67.8%
2009Feb. 1018Kadima (28)Benjamin NetanyahuKadima won the most seats but Likud (27) formed the coalition.64.7%
2006March 2817Kadima (29)Ehud OlmertThreshold raised to 2%. Lowest turnout on record.63.5%
2003Jan. 2816Likud (38)Ariel SharonDirect PM elections abolished.67.8%
1999May 1715One Israel (26)Ehud BarakDirect PM election; Ariel Sharon won a separate PM-only vote in 2001.78.7%
1996May 2914Labor (34)Benjamin NetanyahuFirst direct election for prime minister; Netanyahu won it while Labor won the most seats.79.3%
1992June 2313Labor (44)Yitzhak RabinThreshold raised to 1.5%. Peres succeeded Rabin after the 1995 assassination.77.4%
1988Nov. 112Likud (40)Yitzhak Shamir79.7%
1984July 2311Alignment (44)Shimon PeresNational unity government with a Peres–Shamir rotation.78.8%
1981June 3010Likud (48)Menachem BeginYitzhak Shamir succeeded Begin in 1983.77.8%
1977May 179Likud (43)Menachem BeginThe 'Mahapach': first time Likud, not Labor, formed the government.79.2%
1973Dec. 318Alignment (51)Golda MeirPostponed by the Yom Kippur War; Yitzhak Rabin took over in 1974.78.6%
1969Oct. 287Alignment (56)Golda MeirLargest seat total any list has ever won.81.2%
1965Nov. 26Alignment (45)Levi EshkolGolda Meir became prime minister after Eshkol's death in 1969.83%
1961Aug. 155Mapai (42)David Ben-GurionLevi Eshkol succeeded Ben-Gurion in 1963.81.4%
1959Nov. 34Mapai (47)David Ben-Gurion81.6%
1955July 263Mapai (40)David Ben-Gurion82.8%
1951July 302Mapai (45)David Ben-Gurion75.2%
1949Jan. 251Mapai (46)David Ben-GurionElected as a Constituent Assembly; became the First Knesset.86.9%

Shaded rows: a different prime minister from the previous election. "None" means no government was formed and the Knesset dissolved itself. Source: Central Elections Committee and Knesset records.

Latest polls

Every seat projection published since the final candidate lists were filed on Sept. 8, newest first. Outlet names link to the original report, most of them in Hebrew. A percentage means the pollster projected that party under the threshold. The highlighted row is the JTA poll of polls.

DatePollsterOutletnYasharLikudB'yachadDemocratsUTJOtzmaYisrael BeiteinuJoint ListShasRZP–ZehutRa'amAmchaReservistsBlue & WhiteHaredi PublicOppositionUnalignedNetanyahu bloc
Oct. 12JTA poll of polls8 polls2120129888876544<3.25%<3.25%502149
Oct. 12SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he5382029710875810752.9%40.6%0.6%421761
Oct. 11KantarKan 11 ↗he5532220128898875544——502149
Oct. 8LRI+P4AMaariv ↗he70021201397897765441.9%0.8%522048
Oct. 8Yossi TatikaZman Yisrael ↗he50024201388610985543.2%1.2%—551847
Oct. 8KantarIsrael Hayom ↗he555222113889887652.9%51.2%—511851
Oct. 7Direct Pollsi24 News ↗50420261110897776542.3%1%1%481656
Oct. 7SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he2175233189885710652.2%1.8%1.3%0.4%451263
Oct. 7MP+TM+SN+AChannel 13 ↗he101320201210888977652.9%0.8%1.1%502050
Oct. 5Midgam R&CHaHadashot 12 ↗he501232113987987651.5%40.5%0.6%541749
Oct. 4KantarKan 11 ↗he553232112888988652.6%41.3%0.9%521751
Oct. 1Direct Pollsi24 News ↗he504222899887875541.81%——471756
Oct. 1SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he2175213289876710751.7%1.2%0.4%0.2%441264
Oct. 1Yossi TatikaZman Yisrael ↗he500212110886108955451.4%—492249
Oct. 1LRI+P4AMaariv ↗602211913107997755440.7%0.6%532047
Sept. 30MP+TM+SN+AChannel 13 ↗he101321191111889977552.5%0.9%1.3%521949
Sept. 29Maagar MochotChannel 16 ↗he55021191497877865540.4%0.6%512148
Sept. 28SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he573213199876710751.6%2.1%0.6%0.2%451263
Sept. 27KantarKan 11 ↗he5522321119779776544——522048
Sept. 24Maagar MochotChannel 16 ↗he55323191387987855441%0.4%522048
Sept. 24Direct Pollsi24 News ↗537222799887776641.6%1%1%471756
Sept. 24Yossi TatikaZman Yisrael ↗5002321128861081046————531449
Sept. 24LRI+P4AMaariv ↗610221813116997665441.3%0.9%552045
Sept. 23SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he647223279767711751.9%2.2%0.3%0.5%451263
Sept. 23MP+TM+SN+AChannel 13 ↗he1503221811117788865541%—522246
Sept. 22Midgam R&CHaHadashot 12 ↗he50123201398697755440.7%0.3%542046
Sept. 17SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he817203198887710752.6%2.2%0.4%0.3%441264
Sept. 17Direct Pollsi24 News ↗5192127910878776552.2%1%1%481755
Sept. 17LRI+P4AMaariv ↗he60023181397897765441.1%0.6%542046
Sept. 17KantarIsrael Hayom ↗he55122201397887765441.2%0.8%522048
Sept. 17Yossi TatikaZman Yisrael ↗he500242214897989463%2.2%2%—551451
Sept. 16Maagar MochotChannel 16 ↗5002118169797695544——531948
Sept. 15MP+TM+SN+AChannel 13 ↗he88622181210788878663.1%0.8%1.8%522048
Sept. 15SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he483213089886710852.3%2.1%0.4%0.2%441264
Sept. 14Midgam R&CHaHadashot 12 ↗he—232013108688754440.5%—542046
Sept. 14KantarKan 11 ↗he—2420128788776544——522048
Sept. 10LRI+P4AMaariv ↗he60125191410789775543%1.1%0.4%581646
Sept. 10Yossi TatikaZman Yisrael ↗he50023231589610710452.8%2.8%1.4%—561252
Sept. 9Maagar MochotChannel 16 ↗he—2320169797794542%1%0.7%551649
Sept. 9MP+TM+SN+AChannel 13 ↗he111922191310898876643.2%1.1%1.1%531849
Sept. 9Direct Pollsi24 News ↗10542227109887776541.4%1.1%1%481656
Sept. 9SF+NDChannel 14 ↗he537223178787610862.1%1.4%0.2%0.1%441264
Sept. 9LRI+P4AWalla ↗he5062521149779775542.8%0.9%0.2%571647
Sept. 9KantarKan 11 ↗he55424211298777755440.8%0.9%522048
Sept. 9Midgam R&CHaHadashot 12 ↗he50425211310869775452.9%1.4%1%571647
Sept. 8LRI+P4AMaariv ↗6002520131078977552.8%41.3%0.4%571647