Israeli Knesset Elections: 7.3 Million Eligible Voters Face Complex Coalition Battle
Israeli Knesset Elections: 7.3 Million Eligible Voters Face Complex Coalition Battle
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Israel’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for October 27, 2026, are taking place amid deep political divisions and the repercussions of Israeli military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Approximately 7.3 million people are eligible to vote in the contest for the 120-seat Knesset.
Under Israel’s proportional representation system, voters choose party lists rather than individual candidates. Parties must secure at least 3.25% of the vote to qualify for seats, while forming a government requires a parliamentary majority of at least 61 members.
The race pits Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud against opposition parties, but the largest party is not automatically guaranteed to form the government. Coalition negotiations will determine who can secure a governing majority.
The electoral system also raises questions about Palestinian political rights: Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem can vote in Knesset elections, while Palestinians living in those areas generally cannot unless they hold Israeli citizenship. Palestinian citizens of Israel are eligible to vote, but most Palestinian permanent residents of occupied East Jerusalem who lack Israeli citizenship are not.
The outcome will depend on whether political blocs can assemble a coalition of at least 61 lawmakers amid continuing disagreements over domestic policy, security and military affairs.
