![]() ![]() The most likely scenario was for yet another repeat election, but the message from the polls pointed in a different direction. Polls predicted a tight race between Netanyahu and Lapid. Their meteoric rise earned them 14 seats in the Knesset for the bloc headed by 'Bibi', which totals 64 of the 120 seats in Parliament, three above the magic figure of 61 that marks the majority. In barely a year it has gone from obtaining 225,000 votes to almost double that, some 516,000, bringing together eight more seats than in March 2021. It will be the key to forming a government. Ultra-Orthodox, populist and, according to its critics, Jewish supremacist, the list became the third parliamentary force. The spotlight is on Religious Zionism, a radical right-wing alliance comprising the Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) parties, as well as Noam, an openly homophobic fringe formation. Netanyahu, however, was not the main winner of these elections. AFP/AFP - Composition of the new Israeli parliament, the Knesset The mandate from the ballot box consummated the return of King 'Bibi', the family nickname by which he is known to supporters and detractors alike. It was the most voted list ahead of the centrist Yesh Atid (There is a Future), the platform of outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, figures that put him in a privileged position to lead the next cabinet. ![]() ![]() His party, the conservative Likud, won 32 seats in the Knesset (parliament) with more than 23% of the vote. Nor was it by any means the first time that he had left office - Labour leader Ehud Barak forced his momentary retirement from politics after defeating him in the 1999 elections.īut the elections of 1 November, his fifth in less than four years, gave this political animal of seven lives another chance. It was not the first time he had served in this capacity: between 20 he was the spearhead against the government of his former partner, Ehud Olmert. The longest-serving politician in Israel's history had to don the suit of opposition leader after seeing eight heterogeneous formations form an unprecedented coalition to oust him from power. Religious Zionism is 'Bibi's' only option to achieve a majority in the Knesset and govern.īenjamin Netanyahu left the Prime Minister's office in June 2021 for the first time in 12 years. ![]()
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