Israel elections to be held on Oct 27 in vote seen as referendum on Netanyahu

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Israel will hold national elections on October 27, the last date allowed by law, its parliament says, with the vote widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership since the Gaza war erupted, AFP reports.

The Knesset, as parliament is known, is set to end its current term on July 17, allowing the ruling coalition to complete a full four-year term for the first time in decades.

“Since the current Knesset is expected to serve its full term and the next general election is already set by law for October 27, with no intention of shortening the legislature’s tenure, there is no need to enact a Knesset Dissolution Law in the usual sense,” parliament said in a statement.

Public opinion turned critical of the ceasefire that halted the war Israel and the US launched against Iran in late February, which led to a deal between Tehran and Washington that many view as unfavourable to Israel.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the plenum of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Israel on November 10, 2025. — Reuters/File
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the plenum of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Israel on November 10, 2025. — Reuters/File

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