Israel election: polls open as Netanyahu faces challenge from Eisenkot-led opposition

A vote on Netanyahu’s record

Netanyahu is asking voters to return him to office at the head of a coalition of nationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties. The article describes it as Israel’s most far-right government.

The election is widely viewed as a judgment on Netanyahu and could be among the most consequential in the country’s history. He has opposed an independent inquiry into the Oct. 7 attacks and plans to continue changes to the judicial system, which critics say could weaken liberal democracy.

Coalition talks shape the outcome

Opinion polls put Netanyahu’s allies and their opponents at roughly equal strength. Because no party has ever won a majority of votes, parties must negotiate to build a coalition of at least 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset.

The party with the most votes does not automatically supply the next prime minister. President Isaac Herzog assigns a lawmaker to try to form a government, with 28 days for negotiations and the possibility of a 14-day extension.

How Israelis cast ballots

Voters select a party or slate, whose candidates are ranked on a list. Most people must vote at the polling station assigned near their registered residence, with exceptions including soldiers, prisoners and people with limited mobility.

Israel has no postal or proxy voting system, and most citizens abroad cannot vote absentee. Polls are scheduled to close at 10 p.m., but the parliamentary negotiations may delay a clear answer on who will govern.

The stakes beyond the ballot

Netanyahu’s allies say they intend to tighten Israel’s control over the West Bank and Gaza despite international condemnation. President Trump has endorsed Netanyahu, calling another choice the “wrong leader” for Israel, while analysts questioned whether that support would change many votes.