High turnout in Israeli parliamentary elections

◆2 sources

Turnout in Israel’s parliamentary elections reached 44.9% halfway through polling day, the Central Election Commission reported, the highest at that point since 1973. Earlier, turnout was 16.68% in the first three hours, the highest at that stage since 1981. Long queues were reported at polling stations, and the military reported similarly high participation among service members. A single report said that 70,000 voters had travelled from abroad to vote, as Israel does not allow voting from overseas.

At least six parties filed complaints over alleged irregularities, including claims that ballots had been deliberately printed incorrectly or torn. The Election Commission said it had found no evidence for those claims. It confirmed that searches connected to allegations that the Arab party Ra’am bribed voters found envelopes containing money; three people were arrested and questioned. Delays were reported especially at polling stations in Arab communities. In Tel Aviv, police arrested a man carrying a large knife near Democratic Party leader Yair Golan.

More on this story

Politics

Israeli parliamentary elections

11 sources

Polling stations opened in Israel for parliamentary elections that are widely seen as a test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His Likud party and its allies face an opposition bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party. Polls indicated that neither bloc was likely to win the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, leaving the formation of a government uncertain. The campaign focused on the October 7, 2023 attack, judicial reforms and military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews. Arab parties could be important to government formation, though cooperation with them remains sensitive and most Jewish opposition leaders have ruled it out. Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad travelled to Israel to vote because overseas voting is generally not permitted. Estimates in the reports ranged from more than 50,000 to about 67,000 travellers. Several voters interviewed said they were returning to support change and oppose Netanyahu.

Politics

Israeli parliamentary elections

16 sources

Israelis voted on Tuesday in parliamentary elections, the first since the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023. The vote was widely presented as a test of whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could remain in office, with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot described as a leading challenger. Security was a central campaign issue, and the country was reported to be deeply divided. Polls gave neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition bloc the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority, raising the prospect of a deadlock in which Netanyahu could remain prime minister despite losing support. Thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv before the election, demanding an independent state inquiry into failures preceding the 7 October attack; organizers put attendance at more than 100,000. US President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu during the campaign.