JERUSALEM — Israel will hold its next national election on Oct. 27, 2026, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected to seek another term, according to his governing coalition, after lawmakers decided to keep the date set under election law.
The election date was confirmed by coalition chairman Ofir Katz during a parliamentary committee meeting, ending uncertainty that had followed a May vote in the Knesset to begin the process of dissolving parliament. The Oct. 27 date is the latest date permitted under Israeli law for the next national vote.
Netanyahu, the leader of the right-wing Likud party and Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is preparing to compete for another mandate after returning to power in 2022 at the head of a coalition of nationalist and religious parties. His government’s term has been dominated by the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the conflicts that followed in Gaza, Lebanon and with Iran.
The vote will be the first national election in Israel since the 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent regional conflicts. The election is expected to focus heavily on security issues, the government’s handling of the wars, and domestic political disputes, although the final campaign issues and party alliances are likely to develop closer to the vote.
Netanyahu has not faced a national election since the start of the Gaza war, and his political standing has been challenged by criticism over the government’s response to the Oct. 7 attack and later security developments. At the same time, his opponents have yet to establish a clear coalition path to form a government, according to recent political assessments.
Israel’s parliamentary system requires governments to be formed through coalitions because no single party has typically won enough seats to govern alone. The 2026 election will determine the 120 members of the Knesset, who will then play a role in selecting the country’s next government.
The election timing also marks a rare occasion in Israeli politics, where governments frequently collapse before completing full terms. The current coalition is set to remain in office until the election period begins unless an earlier political development changes the timetable.
The latest confirmed schedule is for Israelis to vote on Oct. 27, 2026, with Netanyahu expected to lead Likud into the campaign as parties prepare for the parliamentary contest.
