Israel has scheduled national elections for 27 October, providing voters their first opportunity to evaluate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership since the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023. The Knesset will dissolve on Friday, prompting the current government to accelerate passage of several contentious legislative measures before the electoral contest begins.
The conflict that followed the October 2023 attacks has shaped the political landscape significantly. A military campaign in Gaza has drawn widespread international criticism, with various organizations and bodies characterizing it as genocidal. Additionally, Israel conducted military operations against Iran earlier this year, which most Israelis perceive as unsuccessful. These developments have contributed to shifting public sentiment, with current polling suggesting voters may remove Netanyahu from office after his lengthy tenure leading the country.
Despite unfavorable polling numbers, Netanyahu presents a formidable political challenge. He is a seasoned political operator who has repeatedly overcome expectations throughout his career and will complete a full term without early dissolution—a distinction no Israeli prime minister has achieved in recent decades. His campaign emphasizes national security and positions him as the sole leader capable of ensuring Israeli safety. However, he faces additional complications beyond electoral politics, including an ongoing corruption trial and calls for intervention in legal proceedings.
The leading opposition challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff whose family lost members in the Gaza conflict. Recent polling shows his Yashar party has surpassed Netanyahu’s Likud party for the first time. Eisenkot has constructed a political narrative centered on professional achievement and personal sacrifice, presenting a contrast to the incumbent prime minister. Netanyahu’s international standing has deteriorated significantly in recent years, with Israeli-Palestinian relations remaining a central concern that any successor would need to address.
As the election approaches, the outgoing coalition government continues advancing legislation aimed at strengthening its political position, including measures affecting the attorney general’s authority and religious study provisions favored by ultra-orthodox coalition partners.