Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains a large majority to form a government with far-right and religious allies, after counting on Wednesday 86% of the ballot boxes used in yesterday’s election in the country.
As the vote count progresses, the victory and return to power of the former head of government seems more certain. Meanwhile, the anti-Netanyahu bloc and its main leader, current Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, are beginning to assume he is defeated, according to local media.
The advantage of the bloc headed by Netanyahu is very wide, having, up to the mark of 86% of the polls counted, a majority of 65 seats in Parliament – which has 120 seats -, four more than necessary to form the government.
The right-wing Likud party is projected to get 32 seats, while Religious Zionism will get 14, and an ultra-orthodox bloc will get another 19.
The coalition of center, right and left forces, in turn, will have 50 seats and will not be able to exceed what is necessary to have half of the votes in the rest of the count.
Most of the polls have already been counted, lacking votes cast in military bases, hospitals, asylums, prisons and embassies.
The prediction is that in this final wave, the vast majority of voters’ preference will be for the right-wing bloc led by Netanyahu.
The Israel Central Electoral Committee has indicated that the final result of the elections will be announced on Thursday night, at local time.
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