After 97 percent count: Clear victory for Netanyahu Zoff in parliament: Switzerland argues over aid money for Ukraine

After Israel’s parliamentary elections, there are signs of a clear victory for right-wing opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Israeli media, after counting 97 percent of the vote, his right-wing religious camp was able to secure a majority of 65 of the 120 seats in the parliament (Knesset).

The 73-year-old’s Likud party, which is under corruption proceedings, became the strongest political force with 31 seats in parliament, according to Wednesday. Liberal Prime Minister Jair Lapid’s Future Party came in second with 24 seats.

For the first time in Israel’s history, a far-right alliance took third place. The religious Zionist party of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir is seen as kingmaker for Netanyahu.

The left-liberal Meretz party and the Arab Balad party, on the other hand, could just miss the 3.25 percent threshold. The final result is expected on Thursday. The turnout was relatively high. When polls closed at 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening, that was 71.3 percent of the approximately 6.8 million eligible voters.

It would be Netanyahu’s second comeback as prime minister. In the history of Israel no one has held office longer than he. The right-wing conservative politician was prime minister from 1996 to 1999, then again continuously from 2009 to 2021. With his replacement last year by Naftali Bennett at the head of an eight-party coalition, Netanyahu’s era was initially considered over.

However, the coalition of right-to-left parties fell apart in June after internal disputes. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lapid then took over the position of head of government. (sda/dpa)