Israel is heading to the polls this Tuesday for its first parliamentary election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future hanging in the balance, the nation is bracing for what could be a drawn-out waiting game. While exit polls will offer a preliminary snapshot shortly after voting concludes at 10 pm, the actual vote count can be unpredictable. Although initial trends may surface quickly, the complexity of Israel's proportional representation system—which requires parties to meet a 3.25 percent threshold—often delays the final tally, with official results not expected until early November.

The aftermath of the election is where the real political maneuvering begins. Because no single party typically secures an outright majority in the 120-seat Knesset, the country relies on coalition governments, giving smaller parties significant leverage. Once the official results are finalized, President Isaac Herzog will invite party leaders to recommend a candidate for prime minister. The chosen nominee then has up to 42 days to assemble a cabinet. Should these delicate coalition negotiations fail, the country risks further instability, which could lead to yet another election cycle while the incumbent leadership remains in place as a caretaker government.