Isaac Herzog Begins Consultations to Form New Israeli Government

President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with political parties on November 4 to designate a candidate to form a new government following the October 27 parliamentary elections. No single bloc secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc won 53 seats, with his Likud party emerging as the largest single party with 27 seats. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats, while Arab parties secured the remaining 19.

Herzog has urged political leaders to approach the process with an open mind to avoid repeat elections. He will receive official results from Central Elections Committee Chairman Noam Sohlberg before assigning a mandate to a lawmaker he believes can assemble a coalition. The designated candidate will have 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to succeed. Netanyahu currently leads a caretaker government until a new administration is seated.

Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, are coordinating a strategy to replace Knesset speaker Amir Ohana and gain control of parliamentary business. Their goals include establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, attacks and passing a bill to bar individuals facing criminal indictments from forming a government. The Joint List, which won 11 seats, has offered to support the opposition to oust Netanyahu but stated it will not join the government or take ministerial posts. The new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.