Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hopes for a right-wing government were dashed last Thursday as the last votes were tallied for the Israeli election. The elections were forecast by many to produce a right-wing governing coalition. As the final votes were counted, it was clear that the choice of the Israeli people told a different story. The Likud-Yisrael Beitenu alliance headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu did not gain the overwhelming victory it had hoped for.
The prime minister’s alliance won the election with 31 parliamentary seats—far less than the 42 it held in the outgoing parliament. As in times past, the prime minister now has the first chance to form a government. He doesn’t have enough seats to form a majority, so he must form a coalition government.
