With this new government, Netanyahu returned to the premiership, having previously been out of office since the anti-Netanyahu bloc won a majority in the 2021 election and formed a government without Netanyahu's Likud. Five members of the National Unity party (Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot, Gideon Sa'ar, Hili Tropper and Yifat Shasha-Biton) joined an emergency wartime government in October 2023 following the outbreak of the Gaza war. Gantz and Eizenkot also joined the Israeli war cabinet.[6] Sa'ar announced on 25 March 2024 that New Hope had resigned from the government.[7] Gantz and the rest of his National Unity party left the government on 9 June.[8] New Hope rejoined the government in September 2024.[9] Otzma Yehudit announced on 19 January 2025 that it would leave the government because the government had agreed to a Gaza ceasefire agreement.[10] The resignations were effective two days later.[11] Members of the party rejoined the government in March.[12]
Two parties can sign a surplus vote agreement that allows them to compete for leftover seats as if they were running together on the same list. The Bader–Ofer method slightly favours larger lists, meaning that alliances are more likely to receive leftover seats than parties would be individually. If the alliance receives leftover seats, the Bader–Ofer calculation is applied privately, to determine how the seats are divided among the two allied lists.[14]
Timing
Per sections 8 and 9 of the Israeli quasi-constitutional Basic Law: Knesset, an election will typically be called approximately 4 years after the previous election, on the first or third Tuesday of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, depending on whether or not the previous year was a Jewish Leap Year. An election can happen earlier if the government falls and the Knesset is dissolved, or later if the Knesset's term is extended by a supermajority vote.
Per section 36 if the previous Knesset was dissolved earlier than the expiration of its full term then the next election shall be held the next month of Cheshvan after 4 years of a current Knesset's term have been completed (from 1970 all except in 1988 had been early elections). Since the 2022 elections were held in Cheshvan a question was raised as to once 4 years from the last elections are completed whether the "next Cheshvan" will be in 2027 or 2026. The Israeli Supreme Court decided that it is in 2026; the next election was scheduled to be held no later than 27 October 2026.[2]
After the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and subsequent Gaza war, some have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu,[15][16] with polls suggesting that more than 75% of Israelis believe he should step down.[17][18] There have also been calls for a snap election once the war is over. Minister of Labor Yoav Ben-Tzur said that an election should occur within 90 days of the end of the war,[19] although he later walked those statements back.[20] Polling suggests that 64% of Israelis believe that an election should happen as soon as the war is over.[18]
Naftali Bennett registered a new political party in April 2025 under the temporary name Bennett 2026,[23] but has not decided whether he will run.[24]
Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas indicated in March 2025 that he intended to run for the next Knesset election, but would not participate in the following election.[25]
On 13 March 2025, it was announced that Gideon Sa'ar had agreed to dissolve his New Hope faction and merge into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud.[26] The Likud-New Hope agreement was approved by Likud's central committee in August 2025; the party was expected to vote on an August 2021 resolution barring members of New Hope from serving in Likud.[27]
On 12 May 2025, Rabbi Haim Yosef Abergel announced his intention to create a new ultra-Orthodox party under the name "Mayim Chaim" (Living Waters), which seeks to compete with Shas on the national level for votes, after successfully challenging Shas locally. It was reported that the party will endorse Haredi conscription into the military and the introduction of secular studies into the ultra-Orthodox school curriculum.[28]
Gadi Eisenkot announced on 30 June 2025 that he would resign from the Knesset and would not participate in the next election on behalf of Benny Gantz's National Unity, over differences on how to hold a leadership election for the party.[30] Eisenkot could join Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid and may take over the leadership of the party from Lapid,[31] join Naftali Bennett's Bennett 2026 party, or run independently with a new party.[32] A source confirmed that Eisenkot and Lapid were in contact, but denied that there was a potential agreement.[33]
Matan Kahana announced the following day that he would resign his seat.[31] He confirmed the same day that he was "in talks" with Bennett and would try to create an alliance between Bennett's party and Eisenkot.[34]
On 1 July 2025, Benny Gantz announced that his National Unity party will be renamed back to its former name, Blue and White, following the departure of Gadi Eisenkot and Matan Kahana from the party.[35]
On 15 August 2025, former minister and MK Yoaz Hendel founded The Reservists Party.[37]
Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen indicated in August 2025 that he may run for prime minister once an election date is announced.[38]
Avigdor Lieberman, the head of Yisrael Beiteinu, sent a letter to Lapid on 27 August calling for a meeting with Eisenkot and Bennett to discuss a potential government following a new election.[39] Gantz and Golan were notably excluded by Lieberman.[40] Lieberman and Bennett met the same day and discussed the Gaza war, hostage deal negotiations, and the "Israeli economy."[41]
Leadership elections and primaries
Leadership elections have been held by some parties to determine party leadership ahead of the election. Primary elections will be held by some parties in advance of the national election to determine the composition of their party list.
National Unity announced on 8 June 2025 that it would hold leadership primaries.[42]
The party's Knesset faction was renamed to Blue and White-National Unity in July 2025, following the departures of MKs Gadi Eisenkot and Matan Kahana from the party.[43]
Party leader Merav Michaeli announced on 7 December 2023 that she was calling an early leadership election that she would not run in.[44] In response, Meretz chairman Tomer Reznik urged Labor to hold joint primaries with Meretz.[45]
Golan won the leadership election, which was held on 28 May.[47] On 30 June 2024, Labor and Meretz announced an agreement to merge into a new party, The Democrats, with Golan as the new party's leader.[48] The merger was approved in July by a conference of Labor and Meretz delegates.[49]
Likud
The next Likud primary is expected to be held in October 2026, though they could be held earlier if the coalition collapses.[50]
Yesh Atid held its first leadership primary on 28 March 2024, in which party leader Yair Lapid narrowly beat MK Ram Ben-Barak 308 votes to 279, a margin of 29 votes.[51]
This graph shows the polling trends from the 2022 elections until the next election day using a 4-poll moving average. Scenario polls are not included here. For parties not crossing the electoral threshold (currently 3.25%) in any given poll, the number of seats is calculated as a percentage of the 120 total seats.
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