Likud Rises to 27 Mandates in Election Night Exit Poll Updates
Election night exit polls showed Likud climbing to 27 mandates and Netanyahu's bloc reaching 52 seats, remaining without a governing majority amid high viewer engagement.
The election night started with the Likud party polling at 24 mandates according to the initial exit poll, but subsequent updates shifted the figures. The ruling party climbed to 27 mandates, while the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rose from an initial 50 to 52 seats, though falling short of the 61-mandate majority required to form a government.
Journalists Ilana Dayan and Rafi Reshef, broadcasting live from the Likud election headquarters, followed the unfolding results in real time. Dayan linked the election outcomes to the October 7 disaster during Netanyahu's tenure, stating that these numbers emerge directly in the wake of the historic failure under his watch. Reshef concurred, reflecting on the profound weight of the moment.
Throughout the dramatic evening, exit polls across major broadcasters registered similar upward trends for Likud, reaching 27 mandates in updates from multiple networks. Meanwhile, Gadi Eisenkot's faction and Naftali Bennett's BeYachad list also secured significant representations in a tightly contested political landscape.
Viewer engagement surged as millions tuned in for the election coverage. Keshet 12's broadcast led the ratings with 28.5%, peaking at 30.6% when the initial exit poll results were unveiled, cementing a night of high political drama.
