Israel will hold a general election on 27 October, in what would be the first vote conducted on the legally mandated date in nearly 40 years. The current Knesset will complete its full four-year term on 17 July, making Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government the first in over 50 years to serve out its mandate. Coalition leader Ofir Katz confirmed the original October date would be held, after the opposition failed a month earlier to force an early vote.
The election is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's handling of office since the 2023 Gaza war, the first national vote since the Hamas attack and subsequent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. The government has also faced criticism over the joint US-Israel strike on Iran. A Hebrew University poll found over 92% of Israelis believe Iran won the Middle East war.
Current polls cast doubt on Netanyahu's ability to secure another majority. A KAN broadcaster survey projects Gadi Eisenkot's centrist Yashar party winning 24 seats to Likud's 23 in the 120-seat Knesset, with Eisenkot viewed as Netanyahu's main challenger.