The Israeli parliament voted 62-0 to dissolve itself early Friday, formalising the end of the Knesset's full four-year term after the coalition secured the October election date. The dissolution marks the first time since 1988 that a legislature has completed its mandate.
Before disbanding, the coalition rushed through a package of contentious legislation, including a law replacing independent media regulators with a government-supervised broadcasting authority, a measure curtailing the powers of the attorney general, and a bill shielding ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers from arrest — despite roughly 70,000 eligible men remaining unconscribed and the military requesting 12,000 additional recruits.
Benjamin Netanyahu will again lead Likud into the race and has pledged to form a broad national government. He faces his strongest challenge from Eisenkot, whose Yashar party leads or ties Likud in July polls, with Netanyahu trailing in personal popularity while battling a five-year corruption trial and public blame over the 7 October 2023 failures.