Israel Locks in October 27 Election as Netanyahu Braces for Electoral Test

JERUSALEM, July 12 (Reuters) — Israel will hold a national election on October 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition confirmed Sunday, marking the first vote since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

The exact timing had been uncertain since the Knesset voted in May to dissolve itself, opening the door to an earlier ballot. However, coalition whip Ofir Katz told a parliamentary committee that the statutory date of October 27 would stand.

Recent polling consistently indicates Netanyahu’s alliance of nationalist and religious parties would lose its majority, though the opposition lacks a clear alternative path to forming a government, and the political landscape remains fluid.

Less than a year after returning to power at the head of Israel’s most right-wing government ever, Netanyahu’s security credentials were severely damaged by the October 7 surprise assault. Surveys show widespread public dissatisfaction with his handling of the conflict with Iran.

Israeli governments rarely serve full four-year terms, yet Netanyahu — the country’s longest-serving premier — has repeatedly demonstrated an unmatched capacity for political survival.

Source link