JERUSALEM: Israel will hold its next national election on October 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition announced on Sunday, setting up a crucial test for Netanyahu as he faces mounting political pressure over security and the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Coalition chairman Ofir Katz told a parliamentary committee on Sunday that the election would proceed on the date originally set under Israeli law, ending uncertainty after parliament voted in May to dissolve itself.
The move had raised the possibility of an earlier election.
The upcoming vote will be closely watched as Netanyahu’s coalition of nationalist and religious parties faces growing political challenges. Recent opinion polls have indicated that the governing bloc could lose seats, although opposition parties have yet to establish a clear route to forming a government.
Netanyahu’s political standing has been affected by the security failures surrounding the alleged Hamas’s unprecedented attack in October 2023, which triggered Israel’s war in Gaza and heightened regional tensions.
Surveys also suggest public dissatisfaction over the handling and consequences of the conflict with Iran.
According to Reuters, despite facing repeated political crises, Netanyahu remains Israel’s longest-serving prime minister.
However, Israeli governments rarely complete a full four-year term, making the upcoming election a significant test of his leadership and political future.
