Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the Israeli election, following a formal concession from Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Netanyahu will retake office after being ousted in 2021, following 12 years as prime minister.
Lapid’s office says the ousted prime minister called Netanyahu to congratulate him on his victory, as well as notify his staff to begin transitional duties.
🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 3, 2022
It was Israel ‘s fifth election in four years.
The final results of the election still need to be certified. But Netanyahu’s coalition of ultra-nationalistic allies hold a comfortable lead, capturing 64 of Israel’s 120-seat parliament, or Knesset. Lapid’s coalition won 51 seats.
Netanyahu is known for his tough stance on Palestine and his emphasis on national security. He is also currently on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges, all of which he has pleaded not guilty.
World leaders have not moved as quickly to congratulate Netanyahu as they did with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva when he was declared Brazil’s president.
Canada’s Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden were among the first to congratulate Silva. Meanwhile former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Hungarian leader Viktor Orban took to Twitter to congratulate Netanyahu.
After the results are formally announced, Netanyahu will have four weeks to form a government.
