Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and the Blue and White party, led by Benny Gantz, are tied with 32 seats each with more than 85% of votes counted from Tuesday’s election.
The latest: The center-left and right-wing blocs, led by Gantz and Netanyahu respectively, were also roughly tied with 55-56 seats each on Wednesday morning. The Israel Beitenu party, led by former Defense Minister Avidor Lieberman, looks set to win about 10 seats.
Why it matters: Netanyahu has failed to get the right-wing bloc to a 61-seat majority — which would have allowed him to form a government that would grant him immunity from 3 pending corruption indictments.
- Gantz hasn't won either, so can’t easily form a center-left coalition.
The big picture: The results so far suggest that Avigdor Lieberman is going to be the kingmaker after the election.
- Lieberman has already announced he wants to form a secular national unity government with Gantz and Netanyahu both included.
Yes, but: Forming a unity government would be very hard because of Netanyahu’s legal situation ahead of a hearing on Oct. 3.
- Gantz ruled out joining a unity government led by Netanyahu during the campaign.
- Netanyahu says he won’t join a unity government led by Gantz.
The bottom line: If both Gantz and Netanyahu stick to their positions, Israel will be thrown into an even deeper political crisis — and potentially an election for the third time in a year.
Go deeper: Read Axios' Israel election preview
