After the Elections: FAQ
When are the election results expected to be announced?
The final results of the elections for the 26th Knesset must be announced within eight days. In this case, that means that the final results must announced by November 4, 2026. Reports indicate that the Central Elections Committee estimates that the final results will already be known by Thursday, October 29, 2026.
When will the new Knesset be sworn in?
The Knesset is sworn in within 14 days of the elections. In this case, that means that the swearing-in is expected to take place on November 10, 2026. Until a new Knesset Speaker is elected, the session will be presided over by the Speaker of the previous Knesset (in this case, Amir Ohana of the Likud Party), provided that they were reelected as a Member of Knesset. If the Speaker is no longer a Member of Knesset, the most senior member of Knesset will preside over the session as temporary Speaker.
What is the process for forming a government?
Israel is a parliamentary democracy, with a multiparty coalition system. Voters elect the parties that constitute the Knesset (the legislative branch) while a subsequent vote of confidence from the Knesset grants the government (the executive branch), comprised of a coalition of parties, its authority. As in most parliamentary democracies, no one political party holds the majority of seats in the Knesset (61 out of 120), and in order to form a government, a governing coalition that makes up the majority of seats must be cobbled together.
Within seven days of the announcement of the election results, the President (in this case, Isaac Herzog) consults with all of the elected Knesset parties and assigns the task of forming a government to the member of Knesset who, in the President’s view, has the best chance of doing so (this is usually the leader of the largest party, but not always). That person then has 28 days to form a government; the President may extend this period by an additional 14 days.
What happens if the candidate is unable to form a government?
If the candidate announces that they have been unable to form a government, or if the Knesset does not approve their request for a vote of confidence in the government, the President must decide within three days whether or not to assign the task to another Member of Knesset. If the President allows a new candidate to attempt to form a government, that new candidate has only 28 days to do so, with no possibility of an extension. Alternatively, the President can inform the Knesset Speaker that there is no possibility of forming a government, in which case new elections are held within 90 days.
What happens if the second candidate is unable to form a government?
In this case, a majority of the Members of Knesset may ask the President to assign the task to a Member of Knesset who has agreed to take it on. The President may do so within two days of receiving the request, after which that Member of Knesset has 14 days to form a government.
And what if that also fails, or no such request is submitted?
New elections are held within 90 days.
Once a government is formed, when does it take office?
If one of the candidates succeeds in forming a government, the agreed-upon basic policy agenda, composition of the government, and allocation of ministerial portfolios are submitted to the Knesset for approval. The Knesset must then formally vote to express confidence in the government. If the government receives the Knesset’s vote of confidence, it takes office and the Prime Minister and ministers begin serving from that moment.
How do the government and Knesset operate between the Knesset’s swearing-in and the formation of the government (the parliamentary transition period)?
After the elections there is a new Knesset, but there is not yet a new government. The outgoing government therefore continues to serve and perform its duties. Until the coalition and the permanent committees are established, an Arrangements Committee and other temporary committees (detailed below) are appointed to manage the Knesset’s work.
Establishment of an Arrangements Committee:
An Arrangements Committee is established immediately after the Knesset is sworn in. It is generally chaired by a Member of Knesset from the political party of the Member of Knesset who was given the mandate to try to form a government. It is composed of representatives of the political parties in accordance with their relative size, and its role is to manage the Knesset’s work until the government is formed. Its responsibilities include determining the composition of the temporary committees and the allocation of seats among the elected parties.
Establishment of temporary committees:
Two temporary committees are established immediately: the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, to ensure parliamentary oversight and continuity in security matters; and the Finance Committee, to enable oversight of the Ministry of Finance and the adoption of urgent budgetary decisions or approval of urgent budget transfers. The Arrangements Committee may also establish other temporary special committees, as needed and with the approval of the plenum (for example, if there is a desire to advance legislation immediately, a special committee may be established).
What happens after the government is formed?
Knesset committee allocations and compositions are determined in accordance with the coalition agreements. Additionally, the allocation of committees between the coalition and the opposition are also decided (generally, the opposition chairs the State Control Committee and one or two additional committees). The arrangements are submitted to the Arrangements Committee for approval, which then submits it to the plenum for approval.
