Netanyahu clearly wins Israel elections – Congratulations to Lapid

The right-wing conservative opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu has won the parliamentary elections in Israel after all the votes have been counted. His right-wing religious camp was able to secure a majority of 64 of the 120 seats in parliament (Knesset), as several Israeli media reported unanimously on Thursday evening. The 73-year-old's Likud party became the strongest force with 32 seats in parliament. They are followed by the Future Party of liberal Prime Minister Jair Lapid with 24 seats.

Lapid congratulated his political opponent on the election victory in the evening. The State of Israel is above all political considerations, he wrote on Twitter after a phone call with Netanyahu. He wished him "happiness for the good of the Israeli people and the State of Israel". He instructed all departments of the prime minister's office to prepare for an orderly transfer of power.

For the first time in Israel's history, a far-right coalition made it to third place. The Religious Zionist Party of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir is considered the kingmaker for Netanyahu and won 14 seats. The left-liberal Meretz party and the Arab Balad party fell just short of the 3.25 percent hurdle.

On Tuesday, the people of Israel voted on the composition of the Knesset for the fifth time in just three and a half years. Voter turnout was still comparatively high at 71.3 percent. The current eight-party coalition collapsed in June after losing its majority after just 12 months.

The official final result will be published next Wednesday. President Izchak Herzog then has until November 16 to nominate a candidate to form a government. He has 28 days to do this, with a possible extension of a further 14 days.