Israel Takes Step Toward Snap Election as Knesset Votes to Dissolve
The move could bring elections forward by weeks as ultra-Orthodox parties press for a military draft exemption, while polls show Netanyahu’s coalition short of a majority.
- On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the Knesset voted unanimously to dissolve the 25th Knesset, initiating early elections after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to resolve a coalition crisis over military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
- Degel HaTorah, a key ultra-Orthodox coalition partner, demanded early elections after the government failed to pass legislation exempting yeshiva students from mandatory military service. Spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando instructed lawmakers to support dissolution, stating they no longer trust Netanyahu.
- Opposition Head Yair Lapid and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot criticized the move as a desperate attempt by Netanyahu to remain in power, pointing to roughly 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men eligible for military service but not enlisted.
- The bill passed its preliminary reading by a 110 to 0 margin but must still pass three additional readings and committee debates to finalize an election date. Lawmakers are debating whether to hold elections in September or October.
- Surveys predict Netanyahu would lose a national election, as Naftali Bennett and Lapid have joined forces to form the 'Together' party now neck-and-neck with Netanyahu's Likud. Opposition leaders are urging a united front to mobilize voters ahead of the potential September or October ballot.
60 Articles
60 Articles
Israel has taken the first step towards slightly early elections, explained
The Knesset took the first step toward calling early elections on Wednesday, approving an initial vote on a bill that would bring forward parliamentary elections by a month or two. The bill will now need to pass three more votes to receive final approval and officially bring about early elections. One hundred and ten members of Knesset voted in favor of the bill and none voted against it or abstained. Ten members of Knesset were not present in t…
Israel's Knesset Advances Dissolution Bill, Moving Nation Closer To Early Elections
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief (Worthy News) – Israel moved closer to early elections Wednesday after a bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset passed its preliminary reading with overwhelming support, exposing the deepening fractures inside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition. The measure, introduced by Likud lawmaker Ofir Katz, passed 110-0, with no lawmakers opposing or abstaining. Netanyahu, Defense M…
Israel's parliament voted for its dissolution on Wednesday, taking a first step towards re-election. 110 out of 120 deputies voted in favour. According to opinion polls, it is currently questionable whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can secure a new majority. Israel's strictly religious parties have been considered "natural partners" for decades. However, they are currently dissatisfied because an agreed law on the liberation of strictly…
The Israeli parliament has unanimously decided in a first round of voting to initiate a process allowing it to dissolve itself. If that...
In Israel, an early parliamentary election is more likely: the Knesset voted for its dissolution at a first reading - but there are still a few hurdles up to possible new elections. From Bettina Meier.
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