4:00 p.m. ET, April 9, 2019
Two exit polls show Netanyahu on track to form next Israel’s government; a third poll shows too result too close to call
Leader of the Blue and White party Benny Gantz (right) and leader of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu (left).
While none of the exit polls carried out during Israel's general election Tuesday showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in the lead, that does not mean he won't be able to form the next government.
Either party will have to secure the support of other smaller parties to form a governing majority in the 120-seat parliament.
Two exit polls showed Netanyahu on track to form Israel's next government, with support from the religious right. A third poll showed results too close to call.
Israeli Channel 12 showed Benny Gantz's Blue and White party virtually neck and neck with Likud, with the religious-right coalition taking 60 seats and Gantz's coalition taking the same, with support of the Arab parties.
Kan Channel 11 showed the religious-right coalition with 64 seats, versus a Gantz bloc with 56. And Channel 13 projected the religious-right wing coalition with 66 seats, 12 more than a Gantz coalition.
No party ever ends up with an outright majority after elections, and these results are just preliminary. Both men may end up with a chance to form a government, and the smaller parties will play a key role in coalition-building.
However it is extremely unlikely that the Arab parties would become full coalition partners in any government.