Israelis go to the polls as tense election gets underway
Israelis vote for parties, which then form alliances to create a majority coalition. No single party has ever won a 61-seat majority in the 120-member parliament.
TL;DR
- Israelis are voting in a national election that is viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership post-October 7th.
- The Israeli political system involves voting for parties that then form coalition governments, with no single party historically achieving a majority.
- Opinion polls suggest a tight race, predicting weeks or months of negotiations to form a government.
- Voters expressed mixed feelings, with some supporting Netanyahu for his experience and security stance, while others advocated for change and a centrist government.
- The election is crucial for determining the future direction and character of Israel, with high youth and expatriate turnout.
- Key issues include Netanyahu's accountability for security failures on October 7th, ultra-Orthodox military service exemptions, and judicial overhaul concerns.
- Netanyahu's main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, is campaigning on holding Netanyahu accountable and establishing an inquiry into security failures.
- Turnout in the initial hours was the highest since 1981.