Israel election: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on path to a ‘magnificent victory’, historic fifth term
- Netanyahu, 69, will be on track to be the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s 71-year history
- Closely contested race was widely seen as a referendum on his character and record in the face of corruption allegations
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on path for victory in Israel’s election on Wednesday after nearly complete results put him in position to form a right-wing coalition and further extend his long tenure in office.
The results from Tuesday’s vote came despite corruption allegations against the 69-year-old premier and put him on track to become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister later this year.
His Likud party looked set to finish with a similar number of seats in parliament to his main rival, ex-military chief Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White alliance, Israeli media reported.
But with 97 per cent of the votes counted, results showed the Likud and other right-wing parties allied to him with some 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament.
The results would seem to leave President Reuven Rivlin, whose task it is to ask one of the candidates to form a government, with little choice but to pick Netanyahu.
Intensive coalition negotiations will follow and could drag on for days or even weeks.
