Herzog Weighs Israel’s Next Government After Tight Election

Israel’s election results have placed President Isaac Herzog at the center of the next government’s formation, with early exit polls indicating a close contest between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition and a center-right opposition bloc seeking political change. Herzog must determine which political leader has the strongest chance of assembling a government capable of winning parliamentary approval. According to early exit polls cited by The New York Times, Netanyahu’s Likud party appeared to have received the most votes.

That result is expected to strengthen Netanyahu’s argument that he should receive the mandate to form the next government, although the final decision rests with Herzog. Israel’s electoral system allows voters to choose parties rather than individual candidates for prime minister. Parliamentary seats are allocated according to each party’s share of the vote, making coalition negotiations central to determining who leads the country.

Herzog, whose presidency is largely ceremonial, assumes a consequential political role after national elections. He consults party leaders about their preferred candidate before selecting a politician to attempt to form a government.

The president is not required to nominate the leader of the party that wins the most votes. Instead, he can choose another candidate if he believes that person has a better chance of assembling a coalition capable of securing a vote of confidence in the Knesset, Israel’s single-chamber legislature. The process gives Herzog room to assess the balance of parliamentary support rather than rely exclusively on which party finishes first. His decision will depend on whether a prospective prime minister can gather sufficient backing from other parties to govern.

The current contest pits Netanyahu’s right-wing political camp against a center-right opposition bloc that has called for change. The opposition includes the Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, according to The New York Times’ account of the election. Although Likud’s apparent lead could favor Netanyahu, the distribution of seats across the Knesset will be crucial in determining whether either political camp can assemble a viable coalition. Herzog must weigh the election results and party leaders’ recommendations before deciding whom to appoint.

A precedent from 2009 illustrates the president’s discretion. Then-President Shimon Peres selected Netanyahu to form a government even though Likud had received fewer votes than the centrist Kadima party. Netanyahu’s position in the current election therefore does not automatically guarantee another term. Herzog faces the task of assessing whether the results indicate that a majority of Israelis favor political change or support another government led by Netanyahu.