Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to get a parliamentary majority in the Israeli election, according to opinion polls leaving TV early Wednesday that no clear winner was expected.
The right-wing bloc had a small margin led by Likud Netanyahu’s party but was in a tight race with a group of center, left and right parties looking to unseat.
3 צפייה בגלריה
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to supporters after polls say he will not give him a clear victory in elections
(Photo: Getty Images)
Who are the key players?
Netanyahu is the strongest Israeli politician of his generation. He campaigned for the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, but also ran under a cloud of corruption charges. As a Polish man, he has denied wrongdoing in his corruption trial which is due to begin in April.
In the last three elections he was against rivals from the left. But this time it was also against right-wing rivals. And while his stewardship of the vaccination campaign has drawn praise, critics have accused him of mistreating the pandemic at a time of locks that hit the Israeli economy hard.
Yair Lapid, 57, former finance minister and TV host who leads the center-left Yesh Atid party – “There is a future”.
3 צפייה בגלריה
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid will speak at the campaign headquarters after the March 23 elections
(Photo: AP)
His party is expected to finish second. Lapid campaigned for “sanitation” to be restored to Israel with clean government and moderate leadership. He hopes to achieve what is almost impossible and bring together one half-dozen different parties from across the political spectrum. They all want to see Netanyahu removed but they are not obvious beds.
Former Netanyahu supporter Naftali Bennett, 48, is a defense minister and high-tech millionaire who heads an ultra-hawkish Yamina party and is waiting to become the next leader on Israeli rights.
Although his party is expected to take only 7 seats, Bennett has stepped in as a capable king, refusing to pledge to Netanyahu or against him. Some analysts believe he is more likely to support his co-keeper, Netanyahu.
Gideon Saar, 54, a former cabinet minister who resigned as Likud formed the New Hope party, voted to end Netanyahu’s rule.
Like Likud his party opposes Palestinian statehood. The Saar campaign was based on clean government and the start of the economy. New Hope is expected to win only about 6 seats but is seen as a skilled politician in the camp against Netanyahu who could help bring together groups from across the left-right spectrum.
What about the real results?
The final band is expected before Friday, but the numbers are updated as votes are counted, so a clearer picture will emerge as polls leave results.