Israel's Election Stalemate

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, admitted today that he is unable to form his desired right-wing government after the country's second Knesset election this year. As this infographic shows, after almost 70 percent of the votes counted, the main challenger to Netanyahu's Likud party, Blue and White led by Benny Gantz, has been marginally more successful at the ballot boxes. Media projections for seats won have Gantz ahead on 33 and Netanyahu on 31.

Likud had hoped to form a right-wing bloc, but current projections shows this would only amount to 55 seats - short of the 61 needed to form a government. Blue and White's desired center-left bloc also falls short with 57 seats. Attempts by Netanyahu to form a “broad, unity government” with Gantz have been ruled out by the Blue and White leader and so the situation remains in a deadlock.