Israel’s Herzog accepts vote results, opens talks on forming a government | Israel Election 2026 News
Israel’s President Accepts Election Results, Begins Government Formation Talks
JERUSALEM — President Isaac Herzog has officially accepted the certified results of Israel’s parliamentary elections held on October 27 and commenced discussions with party leaders on the formation of the next government.
Herzog’s actions on Wednesday countered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to delegitimize the election outcome, in which Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Notably, Arab-led parties achieved significant gains, securing a historic 19 seats.
“The elections are over. Now is the time to face reality,” Herzog stated as he began his consultations.
In the recent elections, neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the bloc led by opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot reached the 61-seat threshold necessary for a governing majority. Netanyahu’s coalition garnered 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s faction achieved 48.
This outcome leaves room for potential alliances. Eisenkot could seek to partner with Arab parties Ra’am and the Joint List, or he may negotiate with Netanyahu’s coalition. Herzog held initial meetings with party leaders on Wednesday evening.
Three factions aligned with Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist base have expressed support for his bid to form a coalition, while a fourth faction led by a former Netanyahu ally has thrown its weight behind Eisenkot.
On Thursday, eight additional parties, including the two Arab-led groups, are scheduled to meet with Herzog. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and Netanyahu’s Likud are set to be the last to present their cases.
Eisenkot received a boost in support after Ra’am indicated it would recommend him as a candidate, raising his backing to 56 seats, as reported by Israeli news outlet Ynet. However, this still falls short of the majority needed.
The Joint List has not yet announced its position on supporting Eisenkot, though reports from Israel’s Channel 12 suggest it may coordinate with him, either endorsing or abstaining if requested. The Joint List holds 11 seats, which could push Eisenkot over the threshold.
In contrast, Netanyahu may not secure full endorsement from his 53-seat bloc. Degel HaTorah, which represents four of the seven seats in United Torah Judaism, announced it would not recommend either candidate, citing previous grievances with Netanyahu’s government regarding military service exemptions for Haredi men.
Upon concluding consultations, Herzog will select the candidate he deems best equipped to form a coalition—likely either Netanyahu or Eisenkot. He has several days to make this decision, after which the designated leader will have 28 days to establish a government, with a possible extension of 14 days.
Failure to form a coalition could result in new elections early next year.
In related developments, Netanyahu and his allies have made unverified claims accusing the Arab-led parties of “stealing” the election, potentially with foreign aid. However, Israel’s election commission reported on Wednesday that it had investigated allegations of fraud and found no evidence that would undermine the election’s integrity or results.
Herzog has urged both political camps to demonstrate flexibility to prevent a new election, emphasizing that “not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled.” He called for “originality and creativity, courage and goodwill” to ensure the State of Israel emerges as the victor.
The President also endorsed a probe into potential election interference while cautioning against negative rhetoric directed at Palestinian-Israeli voters, expressing his “great respect” for Israel’s Palestinian minority, who make up about 20 percent of the population.
“I condemn the coarseness and racist expressions that we have heard recently,” Herzog added.
