Israel election: exit poll puts Netanyahu ahead but short of majority

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Israel election: exit poll puts Netanyahu ahead but short of majority

Figures show Likud set to win 37 seats, but PM’s alliance will fail to get 61 seats required

Oliver Holmes in Jerusalem
Mon 2 Mar 2020 20.23 GMT
First published on Mon 2 Mar 2020 05.00 GMT

Exit polls from Israel’s third election within a year suggested Benjamin Netanyahu and his rightwing allies are ahead but still one seat short of a parliamentary majority needed to form a government.

The unofficial figures from three major television channels released on Monday evening showed the prime minister’s Likud party with around 37 seats. Retired general Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party, which has run a campaign focused on Netanyahu’s upcoming criminal corruption trial, had about 33 seats.

Post-voting polls have proved unreliable in the past and minor differences could significantly alter the makeup of Israel’s next government.

Regardless, the polls suggested a stunning turnaround in support for the embattled leader, and he was quick to claim a victory on Twitter. “We won by believing in our own way and by the people of Israel,” he said.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/02/israel-election-round-three-begins-as-voters-head-to-the-polls

[sabbat hunter]

1. A small

majority of people actually voted for a center left block (plus yisrael beiteinu) than for Bibi's right wing bloc. If someone could convince Lieberman to join a blue/white led coalition that had the support of (but not in the coalition) of the Joint List, it would easily be able to form a government.