No clear winner in Israeli election

JERUSALEM (AP):

Israel's election ended Tuesday without a clear winner, setting the stage for what could be weeks of coalition negotiations before a new government is formed. The inconclusive result leaves the country facing renewed political uncertainty after its first national vote since Hamas' October 7 attack, an election widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wartime leadership.

Voter turnout reached 74.3 per cent of eligible voters by 8 p.m. local time, the highest level recorded at that hour since 1988 and eight percentage points higher than at the same stage of the 2022 election.

The strong participation reflected the high stakes of a closely contested race between Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, and his chief rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.

Israelis vote for political parties rather than individual candidates. Those parties must then negotiate alliances to secure a majority in the 120-seat Knesset and form a government. No party has ever won an outright majority.

With voting concluded, attention now shifts to coalition-building. Parties large and small are expected to begin negotiations aimed at assembling a governing coalition and selecting the next prime minister, a process that could take weeks or even months.

Opinion polls have indicated a tight race between blocs backing Netanyahu and those supporting Eisenkot. Both sides could ultimately fall short of the 61 seats needed for a majority, raising the prospect of another election and leaving Netanyahu's government in a caretaker role until a new administration is formed.