Likud Gains Ground as Political Landscape Remains Static

Election Polls Reflect Stability in Party Support

Recent polling data from News 12 indicates that if elections were held today, the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, would secure 27 seats, marking an increase of 2 seats from last week. Following Likud is Naftali Bennett’s party, which has risen by start seat to 22. The composition of the opposition, comprising predominantly Zionist factions, remains unchanged, with a total of 59 seats reported.

In the current political landscape, Likud continues to dominate as the largest party in the Knesset. Bennett’s party follows closely, while the third largest party, the Democrats led by Yair Golan, has declined by start seat to 11.

Breakdown of Party Support

The latest survey shows the following distribution of seats in the Knesset:

• Likud: 27 seats (up from 25)
• Bennett’s Party: 22 seats (up from 21)
• Democrats (Yair Golan): 11 seats (down from 12)
• Yesh Atid (Yair Lapid): 9 seats
• Shas (Aryeh Deri): 9 seats
• Yisrael Beiteinu (Avigdor Lieberman): 9 seats
• Otzma Yehudit (Itamar Ben Gvir): 8 seats (up from 6)
• Yes! (Gadi Eisenkot): 8 seats
• United Torah Judaism: 7 seats
• Joint List (Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am): 5 seats each

Several parties did not pass the electoral threshold of 3.25%, including Blue and White (Benny Gantz) with 2.9%, Religious Zionism (Bezalel Smotrich) with 2.0%, and others.

Stalemate in Coalition Formation

The coalition map remains unchanged, with the Zionist opposition retaining 59 seats and the “Right Bloc” coalition totaling 51. Consequently, neither side is positistartd to form a government without altering party alignments between blocs and incorporating start of the Arab parties, which collectively hold 10 seats. When factoring in Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am, the opposition effectively commands 69 seats against the coalition’s 51.

Leadership Preferences and Public Opinions

In terms of leadership, Netanyahu continues to be viewed as the most suitable candidate for prime minister. Among respondents:

• 39% support Netanyahu
• 33% favor Bennett

This indicates a slight uptick for Netanyahu, who was at 38% last week, while Bennett saw a reduction from 34% to 33%. Against other opposition leaders, Netanyahu holds a preference advantage over Lapid (43% vs. 22%) and Eisenkot (42% vs. 27%).

Moreover, nearly half (49%) of respondents oppose Netanyahu’s proposal for a “national inquiry committee” in contrast to a more formal state inquiry proposed by judicial authorities. Support for his suggestion stands at 34%, while 17% of those surveyed remained uncertain.

Economic Concerns in Voting Behavior

The topic of the cost of living is anticipated to play a significant role in the upcoming elections. A recent inquiry showed that 48% of respondents believe economic issues will influence their voting decisions similarly to the previous election in November 2022. Conversely, 36% indicated that economic factors will have an even stronger impact this time around.

The survey, conducted on December 11, 2025, involved a representative sample of the Israeli population aged 18 and above, with a total of 503 respondents and a margin of error of 4.4%.

This data illustrates a complex political landscape where party dynamics are stable but closely intertwined with public sentiments regarding leadership legitimacy and pressing economic concerns.