Even working on the assumption that the results will hold up, Netanyahu’s path to forming a coalition is still strewn with challenges
The polls show the Likud capturing 30-31 seats – a somewhat disappointing showing – and Yesh Atid should end up with around 24.
However, when adding in the tallies of the Likud’s most likely coalition partners, Netanyahu should get the first crack at forming a majority coalition and returning as Israel’s prime minister.
The Religious Zionists appear to have won between 12 and 14 seats and will be the Knesset’s third largest party.
The chareidi parties outperformed expectations.
Shas appears to have won an extra seat, boosting its Knesset representation to 10 (most polls showed them dropping to 8) while UTJ maintained its strength at 7, with one poll (Direct Polls) predicting 8 for UTJ. To no one’s surprise, Ayelet Shaked, the last tattered remnant of Naftali Bennett’s reign failed to pass the threshold.
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