Election results in Israel: How is the prime minister chosen and why doesn’t the largest party always win? | Today’s news

Israelis elected a new parliament on October 27. The country witnessed a record turnout in what many consider to be one of the most crucial elections in its history. According to Israel’s Central Election Committee, voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999 and just over 7 percentage points higher than the previous election in 2022. With no clear winner emerging, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other parties could face weeks of negotiations to form a government.

Why are elections high?

This is Israel’s first election since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, considered the deadliest day in Israel’s history. On October 7, Hamas militants reportedly killed 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 hostages in a savage attack. This prompted a brutal retaliation from Israel that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed much of Gaza and drove most of its 2 million residents from their homes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has never claimed direct responsibility for the breach and has repeatedly accused Israel’s military and intelligence chiefs of failing to foresee the October 7 attack, saying they underestimated Hamas and failed to warn him of the threat.

Quick answers to key questions

•5 QUESTIONS

After consulting with representatives of the elected parties, the Israeli president asks a member of the Knesset to form a government. The prime minister is the person who can provide this government with enough support to gain the confidence of the Knesset.

The largest party may not have enough seats or support from other parties to win a majority. The president considers which member of the Knesset has the best chance of forming a government that can win the confidence of the parliament.

The Knesset has 120 seats, so 61 seats are needed for a majority. Parties often come together in a coalition because no party has won an absolute majority.

The president consults with representatives of the elected parties and appoints a member of the Knesset to try to form a government. This person has 28 days to ensure sufficient support, with the possibility of an extension of up to 14 days.

A minority government may be possible if it can rely on the support or cooperation of parties outside the government. If coalition talks fail and no government is formed, Israel may hold early elections.

Another key issue is the exemption of ultra-Orthodox parties from military service. Military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women, and about a quarter of Jewish voters polled by the Israel Democracy Institute cited the issue as a key factor in deciding which party to support, the AP reported.

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The country is facing a shortage of soldiers. Each year, about 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men reach the conscription age of 18, but less than 10% enlist, he added.

What to know about Israel’s electoral system?

Israelis do not vote for individual candidates; instead they vote for political parties. There are 120 seats in the state parliament, the Knesset, which means that 61 seats constitute a majority. The number of mandates a party secures is proportional to the percentage of votes it receives.

Political parties with less than 3.5% of the vote, which corresponds to 4 mandates, do not enter the Knesset. Their vote share is subtracted from the total and their votes are thrown out.

Before election day, each party prepares its list of candidates. If a party qualifies, members enter the Knesset in order of rank. For example, Netanyahu’s Likud party won 25 seats, so candidates who are among the top 25 in the party’s internal ranking will enter parliament and become members of the Knesset (MK).

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How is the Prime Minister selected?

Since the majority mark is 61 in Israel’s 120-member Knesset, a party that wins 61 or more seats could potentially form a government without the support of other parties. However, no party has ever won an absolute majority in Knesset elections. The parties therefore had to join forces to secure enough support to form a government, a process known as coalition building.

The President plays a key role in this process. After consultation with the representatives of the elected parties, the president will entrust the members of the Knesset with the formation of the government. The member has 28 days to do so, with the possibility of an extension of up to 14 days. The person chosen is usually the leader of the largest party, but this is not mandatory. The president is considering who has the best chance of forming a government that can win the confidence of the Knesset. Thus, the leader of the largest party does not automatically become prime minister; ensuring sufficient support in parliament is key.

When will the result be declared?

The final vote count is expected by Friday, October 30, with official results on November 4, a week after the election.

(Source: Israel Policy Forum and agencies)