Far-right Israeli parties retain seats but fall short of coalition influence after election

Israel's far-right parties, led by Itamar Ben Gvir's Jewish Power and Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism, retained a combined 13 seats in the Knesset after the October 27 election, matching their previous tally. While the bloc supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu increased to 53 seats, it remained below the 61 needed to form a government, leaving the far right uncertain about its role in any future coalition.

Supporters in the southern city of Sderot expressed optimism that Ben Gvir would continue to be a key figure. Bakery employee Yaakov Peretz told AFP that Prime Minister Netanyahu "needs Ben Gvir by his side, strong and stable, with right-wing views" as he took a smoke break.

Political scientist Yael Shomer of Tel Aviv University noted that the far right gained roughly 100,000 more votes than in 2022, but higher overall turnout meant the parties did not improve their parliamentary share. She described the result as a disappointment for the far-right electorate.

Among voters, concerns were voiced about the possibility of an opposition coalition that includes Arab-Israeli parties, which secured a historic 19 seats. Some supporters, such as 67-year-old Susan Buskila, warned that such an alliance could weaken security in Gaza and increase rocket attacks on Sderot.

Overall, the election outcome leaves the far-right parties with a stable presence in the Knesset but uncertain influence in the formation of the next Israeli government.