The bloc led by the Yashar party, headed by former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, is in first place in the elections held this Tuesday in Israel, ahead of the alliance that groups the Likud of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is reflected in the first projections released by several Israeli media, which, however, still do not dare to indicate a definitive winner of the contest.
According to these initial calculations, neither of the two blocs would be in a position to reach the absolute majority of 61 seats necessary to govern on their own. The polls published by Kan 11, Channel 12, and Channel 13 give the bloc of the former Chief of Staff 53, 52, and 53 seats, respectively. Netanyahu's bloc, for its part, would remain at 50 seats in the three projections, which would point to a scenario of strong parliamentary fragmentation.
If the results are analyzed by parties, Netanyahu's Likud would still be the most voted list in individual terms, with an estimate of 25 seats, three more than Eisenkot's Yashar, according to the same polls. However, those 25 possible seats for the Likud would represent a significant drop from the 32 it currently holds in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, which would indicate a significant setback for the conservative formation.
In parallel, voter turnout has experienced a notable increase compared to the 2022 elections. Data from the Central Electoral Commission places the turnout at 77.7% at 10:00 PM, well above the 70.6% recorded four years ago. This figure constitutes the highest turnout rate at that same hour since 1999, underscoring the high citizen interest in these elections and their possible impact on the future political landscape of Israel.