Israeli election hangs in the balance

Significance

The election on November 1 is a contest between one bloc aligned with former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and another opposed to him. Opinion polls indicate that neither will win a majority in the Knesset. The controversial figure of Netanyahu is the major point separating the two sides but other political, social, security and economic issues also divide them.

Impacts

• Only between ten and twelve of the 40 parties competing in the elections have a realistic chance of winning seats.
• Another election -- the sixth since April 2019 -- is a distinct possibility if neither bloc gains a majority.
• High Arab voter turnout could lead to the anti-Netanyahu bloc forming a new government with the support of the Joint List.
• If Netanyahu forms a government, Israel could lurch towards illiberal democracy.