Israel to hold general elections on 27 October, government to enter caretaker mode
In politics, as in nature, there are seasons: a time for decisions, a time for waiting and a time for change. When the electoral cycle enters its final phase, power stands at the threshold of uncertainty, and the country prepares for a recount of votes and a reshuffling of coalitions. Israel is entering a period where every word of its leaders, every opinion poll and every mandate will matter, while the incumbent government, stripped of the ability to push through major reforms, will focus on routine tasks.
On Sunday, Israel's ruling coalition announced that general elections for the Knesset will take place as scheduled on 27 October and will not be moved to an earlier date, Israeli state television Kan TV News reported. Under Israeli law, general parliamentary elections must be held every four years.
The official election period will begin on Friday, 17 July, when the Knesset goes into recess. From that point, the government will enter caretaker mode and will be prevented from promoting major policy initiatives, except for widely agreed upon laws, routine regulatory matters, or measures necessary to address security concerns.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a press conference in June that after the general elections expected in October, he wants to form a broad national unity government. Currently, Netanyahu leads a narrow coalition composed of far right and ultra Orthodox factions. According to the latest polls by Israeli media, the current coalition factions would win at most 53 seats in the 120 seat parliament, which would be insufficient to form a coalition in its present composition.
The 2022 elections for the 25th Knesset resulted in the most right wing government in Israel's history. Since then, the country's political landscape has shifted, and recent months' polls suggest that centrist and left wing parties could improve their standing. The start of the election period on 17 July means the government will not be able to make key decisions on economic and legislative matters without broad consensus, which could affect domestic and foreign policy.
As CCTV+ reports. The election campaign is expected to be intense, with security, the economy and the judicial reform issue set to dominate the agenda.
