Benjamin Netanyahu claims victory in Israel election, but short of majority

Surveys predict PM’s Likud party to win 36 seats, a major improvement over previous performance

Country’s third election in less than a year was called after inconclusive results in April and September led to political deadlock

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A supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts to the announcement of exit poll results at the Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv on Monday. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 7:14am, 3 Mar 2020Updated: 8:59pm, 3 Mar 2020

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged victorious on Tuesday after Israel’s third election in a year despite a looming corruption trial, dismaying the Palestinians who were angered by his hardline campaign pledges.

Monday’s election left the veteran right-winger in prime position to form a government and end a year of political deadlock, after similar votes in April and September proved inconclusive.

The central election committee said it had counted 90 per cent of the vote, with breakdowns of the result in the media showing Netanyahu’s Likud party with 36 seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament.

That would mark the party’s best-ever result under Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and its first to be indicted in office.

Supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrate after the first election exit poll results in Tel Aviv on Monday. Photo: AP

Netanyahu’s bloc, which includes ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, is likely still one or two votes short of a majority, but his party spokesman said it was confident of luring defectors.

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