In Israel, the final election results are out, but neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s group nor the main opposition group won enough seats to form a majority in parliament. Weeks of political talks will likely follow to choose a new prime minister and build a government. If these talks fail, Israel might have another election early next year.
According to the Central Elections Committee, Netanyahu’s group won 53 seats, while the opposition group, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats. Arab-led parties won 19 seats. To form a majority in the 120-member parliament – the Knesset, a group needs at least 61 seats.
While all the votes have been counted, the results still need to be certified and submitted to the country’s president. Voter turnout was nearly 78 per cent, the highest since 1999.
