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Israel’s parliament announced Sunday that the country will hold its national elections on October 27, scheduling the ballot for the final date permitted under current law.
Citizens widely view the upcoming vote as a direct referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and his handling of the state since the eruption of the Gaza war.
The Knesset will end its current term on July 17, allowing the ruling coalition to complete a full four-year term for the first time in decades.
Lawmakers said that there is no need for a special dissolution law to start the election because the current legislature will serve out its entire term.
Netanyahu, 76, is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and has already declared his intention to run again.
In recent days, his government—one of the most right-wing coalitions in Israel’s history—has been racing to pass a series of bills to shore up his alliance and enter the election from a position of strength.
To reposition his campaign, Netanyahu recently shifted his electoral pitch, stating his intention to establish a broad national government rooted in national unity rather than strict ideological alignment.
However, recent polls show that a majority of Israelis want him out of office, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as his main rival.
Public opinion turned sharply critical after Israel and the U.S. launched a war against Iran in late February, which concluded with a Washington-Tehran deal that many Israelis view as highly unfavourable to their nation’s security interests.
