Israel's parliament has approved a bill to dissolve itself, paving the way for a general election that polls suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will lose. Lawmakers voted almost unanimously for an early ballot in a preliminary reading of a bill to disband the 120-seat Knesset.
If the bill receives final approval, a process that could take weeks, Israel could hold an election several weeks ahead of the 27 October deadline. An election date is yet to be set, but commentators predict it is likely in the first half of September. The last national election was in November 2022.
Netanyahu's government faces renewed instability after a key ultra-Orthodox Jewish faction, traditionally a staunch ally, declared it no longer considers the prime minister a partner and will push for an early election. The faction cited the coalition's failure to enact legislation exempting their community from compulsory military service.
Opposition parties see a fresh opportunity to oust Netanyahu's administration. His main challenger is Naftali Bennett, a former aide who ousted Netanyahu in 2021 and became prime minister. Bennett has joined forces with centre-left opposition head Yair Lapid to form a new party, Together, which is now neck and neck with Netanyahu's Likud. Another contender is former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Polls have consistently shown Netanyahu's governing coalition falling far short of a parliamentary majority since Hamas's attack on 7 October 2023. However, there is a chance that opposition parties will fail to form a coalition, leaving Netanyahu at the head of an interim government until the political stalemate is broken, as has happened previously.
