Next Israeli legislative election

{{further|2018–2022 Israeli political crisis|Thirty-seventh government of Israel|2023 Israeli judicial reform|Gaza war}}

After the 36th government lost its majority, snap elections were called in 2022. They resulted in the Netanyahu bloc gaining a majority,{{Cite news |date=3 November 2022 |title=Netanyahu bloc wins majority in Knesset, final poll results show |work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/539db912-d743-4cfe-a721-236c251e81ba |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104184245/https://www.ft.com/content/539db912-d743-4cfe-a721-236c251e81ba |url-status=live }} and a government was successfully negotiated between Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Noam, Religious Zionist Party, United Torah Judaism and Shas. The coalition was sworn in on 29 December 2022.{{Cite web |title=Benjamin Netanyahu returns as PM of Israel's most far-right gov't|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/29/netanyahu-to-be-sworn-in-as-head-of-new-far-right-israeli-govt |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=Al Jazeera English |language=en |archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104184245/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/29/netanyahu-to-be-sworn-in-as-head-of-new-far-right-israeli-govt |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Benjamin Netanyahu sworn in as Israel's prime minister for sixth time|url=https://news.sky.com/story/benjamin-netanyahu-to-be-sworn-in-as-israels-prime-minister-for-sixth-time-12776103 |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=4 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104184245/https://news.sky.com/story/benjamin-netanyahu-to-be-sworn-in-as-israels-prime-minister-for-sixth-time-12776103 |url-status=live }}

With this new government, Netanyahu returned to the premiership, having previously been out of office since the anti-Netanyahu bloc won a majority in the 2021 election and formed a government without Netanyahu's Likud. Five members of the National Unity party (Benny Gantz, Gadi Eizenkot, Gideon Sa'ar, Hili Tropper and Yifat Shasha-Biton) joined an emergency wartime government in October 2023 following the outbreak of the Gaza war. Gantz and Eizenkot also joined the Israeli war cabinet.{{Cite news |author=Keller-Lynn |first=Carrie |date=12 October 2023 |title=Knesset okays war cabinet; PM: Saturday 'most horrible day for Jews since Holocaust' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-okays-war-cabinet-pm-saturday-most-horrible-day-for-jews-since-holocaust/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012222230/https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-okays-war-cabinet-pm-saturday-most-horrible-day-for-jews-since-holocaust/ |archive-date=12 October 2023 |access-date=28 March 2024 |website=The Times of Israel}} Sa'ar announced on 25 March 2024 that New Hope had resigned from the government.{{cite web |last=Sokol|first=Sam|date=25 March 2024 |title=Gideon Sa'ar quits coalition after Netanyahu fails to appoint him to war cabinet|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/gideon-saar-quits-coalition-after-netanyahu-fails-to-appoint-him-to-war-cabinet/ |access-date=2 April 2024|work=The Times of Israel}} Gantz and the rest of his National Unity party left the government on 9 June.{{Cite news| last1=Sokol| first1=Sam| title=Gantz quits war government, says PM preventing 'true victory' over Hamas, urges elections| url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/urging-elections-gantz-quits-wartime-government-accuses-pm-of-botching-war-effort/ |website=The Times of Israel| date=9 June 2024| language=en| access-date=6 July 2024}} Otzma Yehudit announced on 19 January 2025 that it would leave the government because the government had agreed to a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.{{Cite news |last=Sokol |first=Sam |date=19 January 2025 |title=Otzma Yehudit exits coalition over Gaza deal, blasting it as 'victory for terrorism' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/otzma-yehudit-exits-coalition-over-gaza-deal-blasting-it-as-victory-for-terrorism/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250119165545/https://www.timesofisrael.com/otzma-yehudit-exits-coalition-over-gaza-deal-blasting-it-as-victory-for-terrorism/ |archive-date=19 January 2025 |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=The Times of Israel}} The resignations were effective two days later.{{cite news |date=21 January 2025|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-gvirs-sway-over-law-enforcement-to-continue-despite-formal-resignation/ |title=Ben Gvir said seeking to retain influence over law enforcement, despite resigning|last1=Summers|first1=Charlie|work=The Times of Israel |access-date=22 January 2025}} Members of the party rejoined the government in March.{{cite news |date=20 March 2025|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-gvir-reappointed-police-minister-as-knesset-okays-his-partys-return-to-government/|title=Ben Gvir reappointed police minister as Knesset okays his party's return to government|last1=Sokol|first1=Sam|work=The Times of Israel |access-date=24 March 2025}}

{{further|Elections in Israel}}

The 120 seats in the Knesset are elected by closed list proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency. The electoral threshold for the election is 3.25%.{{cite news|title=With Bader-Ofer method, not every ballot counts|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/With-Bader-Ofer-method-not-every-ballot-counts-394027|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=16 March 2014|access-date=9 November 2023|archive-date=11 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511083829/https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/With-Bader-Ofer-method-not-every-ballot-counts-394027|url-status=live}}

Two parties can sign a surplus vote agreement that allows them to compete for leftover seats as if they were running together on the same list. The Bader–Ofer method slightly favours larger lists, meaning that alliances are more likely to receive leftover seats than parties would be individually. If the alliance receives leftover seats, the Bader–Ofer calculation is applied privately, to determine how the seats are divided among the two allied lists.{{Cite web |title=The Distribution of Knesset Seats Among the Lists—the Bader-Offer Method |url=https://www.knesset.gov.il/lexicon/eng/seats_eng.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402221447/https://www.knesset.gov.il/lexicon/eng/seats_eng.htm |archive-date=2 April 2019 |access-date= |website=www.knesset.gov.il}}

Per sections 8 and 9 of the Israeli quasi-constitutional Basic Law: Knesset, an election will typically be called approximately 4 years after the previous election, on the first or third Tuesday of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, depending on whether or not the previous year was a Jewish Leap Year. An election can happen earlier if the government falls and the Knesset is dissolved, or later if the Knesset's term is extended by a supermajority vote.

Per section 36 if the previous Knesset was dissolved earlier than the expiration of its full term then the next election shall be held the next month of Cheshvan after 4 years of a current Knesset's term have been completed (from 1970 all except in 1988 had been early elections). Since the 2022 elections were held in Cheshvan a question was raised as to once 4 years from the last elections are completed whether the "next Cheshvan" will be in 2027 or 2026. Israeli Supreme Court decided for it to be in 2026 so the next election was scheduled to be held no later than 27 October 2026.{{Cite news |title=October 27, 2026: Judge sets date for next scheduled elections |work=The Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/judge-sets-date-for-next-scheduled-elections-for-october-2026/|date=20 April 2023|access-date=9 November 2023}}

After the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and subsequent Gaza war, some have called for the resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu,{{Cite web |date=7 November 2023 |title=Netanyahu facing resignation calls for Oct. 7 security failures, Gaza bombardment |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/israeli-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-facing-resignation-calls/ |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=CBS News}}{{Cite news |author=Sokol |first=Sam |date=7 November 2023 |title=Pro-Bibi Newspaper Changes Tune and Calls for His Resignation After War Ends |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-07/ty-article/pro-bibi-newspaper-changes-tune-and-calls-for-his-resignation-after-war-ends/0000018b-a96a-dc41-af9f-eb6a2a5a0000 |access-date=9 November 2023 |work=Haaretz |language=en}} with polls suggesting that more than 75% of Israelis believe he should step down.{{Cite web |author=Marsden |first=Ariella |date=5 November 2023 |title=Netanyahu refusal to take responsibility for October 7 will be downfall |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-771842 |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}{{Cite web |author=Johnston |first=Holly |date=5 November 2023 |title=Poll finds the majority want Benjamin Netanyahu to resign as Israel protests spread |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/palestine-israel/2023/11/05/poll-finds-the-majority-want-benjamin-netanyahu-to-resign-as-israel-protests-spread/ |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=The National}} There have also been calls for a snap election once the war is over. Minister of Labor Yoav Ben-Tzur said that an election should occur within 90 days of the end of the war,{{Cite news |title=Shas minister: I believe Netanyahu will have to call elections within 90 days of war's end |work=Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/shas-minister-i-believe-netanyahu-will-have-to-call-elections-within-90-days-of-wars-end/|date=9 November 2023|access-date=9 November 2023}} although he later walked those statements back.{{Cite news |title=Shas minister says comments on Netanyahu needing to call election after war were 'taken out of context' |work=Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/shas-minister-says-comments-on-netanyahu-needing-to-call-election-after-war-were-taken-out-of-context/|date=9 November 2023|access-date=9 November 2023}} Polling suggests that 64% of Israelis believe that an election should happen as soon as the war is over.

{{see also|List of political parties in Israel}}

{{main list|List of members of the twenty-fifth Knesset}}

The table below lists the results of the 2022 Knesset elections.

{| class=wikitable

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Name

! rowspan="2" | Ideology

! rowspan="2" | Symbol

! rowspan="2" | Primary demographic

! rowspan="2" | Leader

! colspan="2" | 2022 result

|-

! Votes (%)

! Seats

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Likud}};" |

| Likud

| Conservatism

| align="center" |{{Script/Hebrew|מחל}}

| –

| {{nowrap|Benjamin Netanyahu}}

| style="text-align:center;" |23.41%

| {{Composition bar|32|120|{{party color|Likud}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Yesh Atid}};" |

| Yesh Atid

| Liberal Zionism

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Script/Hebrew|פה}}

| –

| Yair Lapid

| style="text-align:center;" |17.78%

| {{Composition bar|24|120|{{party color|Yesh Atid}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Religious Zionist Party}};" |

| Religious Zionist Party (including Noam and Otzma Yehudit)

| Religious Zionism
Kahanism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|ט}}

| Israeli settlers
Modern Orthodox and Hardal Jews

| Bezalel Smotrich

| style="text-align:center;" |10.83%

| {{Composition bar|14|120|{{party color|Religious Zionist Party}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|National Unity (Israel)}};" |

| National Unity

| Conservatism
Zionism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|כן}}

| –

| Benny Gantz

| style="text-align:center;" |9.08%

| {{Composition bar|12|120|{{party color|Blue and White}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Shas}};" |

| Shas

| Religious conservatism

| align="center" |{{Script/Hebrew|שס}}

| Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Haredim Jews

| Aryeh Deri

| style="text-align:center;" |8.24%

| {{Composition bar|11|120|{{party color|Shas}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|United Torah Judaism}};" |

| United Torah Judaism

| Religious conservatism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|ג}}

| Ashkenazi Haredim

| Yitzhak Goldknopf

| style="text-align:center;" |5.88%

| {{Composition bar|7|120|{{party color|United Torah Judaism}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Yisrael Beiteinu}};" |

| Yisrael Beiteinu

| Conservatism
Nationalism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|ל}}

| –

| Avigdor Lieberman

| style="text-align:center;" |4.49%

| {{Composition bar|6|120|{{party color|Yisrael Beiteinu}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|United Arab List}};" |

| Ra'am

| Islamism
Social conservatism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|עם}}

| Israeli Arab and Sunni Muslims
Negev Bedouin

| Mansour Abbas

| style="text-align:center;" |4.07%

| {{Composition bar|5|120|{{party color|United Arab List}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Hadash–Ta'al}};" |

| Hadash–Ta'al

| Two-state solution
Secularism

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Script/Hebrew|ום}}

| Israeli Arabs

| Ayman Odeh

| style="text-align:center;" |3.75%

| {{Composition bar|5|120|{{party color|Hadash–Ta'al}}|per=1}}

|-

| style="background:{{party color|Israeli Labor Party}};" |

| Labor

| Social democracy

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Script/Hebrew|אמת}}

| –

| Merav Michaeli

| style="text-align:center;" |3.69%

| {{Composition bar|4|120|{{party color|Israeli Labor Party}}|per=1}}

|}

The table below lists all members of the Knesset (MKs) who will not stand for re-election.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"

|-

! colspan="2" |Party

!Name

!Year first elected

|-

!style="background:{{party color|The Democrats (Israel)}};" |

|Democrats

|Merav Michaeli{{Cite web |date=7 December 2023 |title=מרב מיכאלי פורשת ממפלגת העבודה - ומקדימה את הפריימריז {{!}} כלכליסט |url=https://www.calcalist.co.il/local_news/article/hygubmjia |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=calcalist |language=he}}

|2013

|-

!style="background:{{party color|Hadash–Ta'al}};" |

|Hadash–Ta'al

|Ayman Odeh{{Cite news |last=Halabi |first=Einav |date=16 May 2023 |title=איימן עודה פורש מהחיים הפוליטיים: "לא אתמודד לכנסת הבאה" |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/hj2jpv11sn |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=Ynet |language=he}}

|2015

|-

|}

• Naftali Bennett registered a new political party in April 2025 under the temporary name Bennett 2026,{{Cite news |date=1 April 2025 |title='Bennett 2026': Former PM Naftali Bennett registers new political party |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-848443|access-date=1 April 2025 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}} but has not decided whether he will run.{{Cite news |date=1 April 2025|last=Azulay|first=Moran |title='Bennett 2026': Former PM Naftali Bennett registers new political party |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry7bfyka1l|access-date=1 April 2025 |website=Ynet |language=en}}
• Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas indicated in March 2025 that he intended to run for the next Knesset election, but would not participate in the following election.{{Cite news |date=5 March 2025 |title=Ra'am chief Mansour Abbas says he won't run for Knesset beyond the next election|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/raam-chief-mansour-abbas-says-he-wont-run-for-knesset-beyond-the-next-election/|access-date=7 March 2025 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en}}
• It was reported in early March 2025 that Gadi Eisenkot is considering splitting away from Benny Gantz's National Unity, after a reported souring in their relationship due to Gantz's reluctance to hold leadership primaries after promising to hold one, in favor of forming a center-left union with Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid and Yair Golan's Democrats and there were reported talks among one another, aimed at preventing former prime minister Naftali Bennett from winning opposition votes.{{Cite news |date=3 March 2025 |title=Eisenkot said seeking center-left party union in next elections, may want to lead it|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/eisenkot-said-seeking-center-left-party-union-in-next-elections-may-want-to-lead-it/|access-date=24 March 2025 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en}}
• On 13 March 2025, it was announced that Gideon Sa'ar had agreed to dissolve his New Hope faction and merge into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud. The Likud-New Hope agreement must still be approved by Likud's secretariat and central committee and will require the party to scrap an August 2021 resolution barring members of New Hope from serving in Likud.{{Cite news |date=13 March 2025 |title=Gideon Sa'ar's New Hope signs agreement to rejoin Likud in next elections|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/gideon-saars-new-hope-signs-agreement-to-rejoin-likud-in-next-elections/|access-date=22 March 2025 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en}}

• Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen indicated in mid-July 2024 that he would not run.{{Cite news |date=15 July 2024 |title=Ex-Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said to decide not to enter politics |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/ex-mossad-chief-yossi-cohen-said-to-decide-not-to-enter-politics/#:~:text=Former%20Mossad%20spy%20agency%20director,elections%2C%20Channel%2012%20news%20reports.|access-date=17 July 2024 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en}}

Leadership elections have been held by some parties to determine party leadership ahead of the election. Primary elections will be held by some parties in advance of the national election to determine the composition of their party list.

{{main|2024 Israeli Labor Party leadership election}}

Party leader Merav Michaeli announced on 7 December 2023 that she was calling an early leadership election that she would not run in.{{cite web |author=Keller-Lynn|first=Carrie |date=7 December 2023 |title=Assailed for left's Knesset woes, Michaeli says she will step down as Labor chief |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/assailed-for-lefts-knesset-woes-michaeli-says-she-will-step-down-as-labor-chief/ |access-date=9 December 2023 |website=The Times of Israel}} In response, Meretz chairman Tomer Reznik urged Labor to hold joint primaries with Meretz.{{cite web |author=Marsden |first=Ariella |date=7 December 2023 |title=Labor leader to quit politics, calls for primaries |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-776999 |access-date=9 December 2023 |work=The Jerusalem Post}}

On 6 May the party announced the final slate of leadership candidates: Yair Golan, Itai Leshem, Azi Nagar and Avi Shaked.{{cite web |last1=Sokol |first1=Sam |title=Labor party announces the final slate of leadership candidates |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/labor-party-announces-the-final-slate-of-leadership-candidates/ |website=The Times of Israel |access-date=6 May 2024|date=6 May 2024}}

Golan won the leadership election, which was held on 28 May.{{cite web |last1=Sokol |first1=Sam |title=Yair Golan wins landslide victory in Labor primary with promise to unite the left|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/yair-golan-wins-landslide-victory-in-labor-primary-with-promise-to-unite-the-left/ |publisher=The Times of Israel |access-date=10 June 2024 |date=28 May 2024}} On 30 June 2024, Labor and Meretz announced an agreement to merge into a new party, The Democrats, with Golan as the new party's leader.{{cite news |title=Meretz, Labor Party sign agreement to merge parties under new party name 'The Democrats' |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-808400 |access-date=30 June 2024 |work=Jerusalem Post |date=30 June 2024}} The merger was approved in July by a conference of Labor and Meretz delegates.{{cite news |title=With an overwhelming majority, Meretz and Labor approve merge, becoming the Democrats |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-810075 |access-date=13 July 2024 |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=12 July 2024}}

{{main|2024 Yesh Atid leadership election}}

Yesh Atid held its first leadership primary on 28 March 2024, in which party leader Yair Lapid narrowly beat MK Ram Ben-Barak 308 votes to 279, a margin of 29 votes.{{Cite news |last=Sokol| first=Sam| date=28 March 2024 |title=In surprise primary result, Lapid holds on to party leadership by a mere 29 votes| url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-surprise-primary-result-lapid-holds-on-to-party-leadership-by-a-mere-29-votes/ |access-date=28 March 2024 |work=The Times of Israel}}

{{main|Opinion polling for the next Israeli legislative election}}

This graph shows the polling trends from the 2022 elections until the next election day using a 4-poll moving average. Scenario polls are not included here. For parties not crossing the electoral threshold (currently 3.25%) in any given poll, the number of seats is calculated as a percentage of the 120 total seats.

{{wide image|Opinion polls Israel 2026.svg|900px|Local regression of polls conducted}}

• List of next general elections

{{reflist}}

{{Israeli elections}}

{{portal bar|Israel|Modern history|Politics}}

Israel

Category:Legislative elections in Israel