Suspense on Israel's next Prime Minister

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General elections have been held in Israel for the second time in the last six months.

According to local media, both the major parties have not got enough seats in the voting on Tuesday to form a majority government. In such a situation, the question arises as to who will be the next Prime Minister of Israel.

Netanyahu has requested Gantz to start talks to form a joint government.

Gantz said that he wants a coalition government but this is possible only if he leads it.

His party has refused to ally with Netanyahu. Netanyahu is facing corruption charges.

During a ceremony in Jerusalem on Thursday, President Raven Rivlin welcomed the Prime Minister’s “significant call”.

Rivlin will consult with party representatives before nominating any leader. He will nominate someone whom he thinks will have a better chance of forming the government.

What is the election trend?

The Central Election Committee announced only 68.6 percent official results on Thursday.

Benny Gantz’s left-leaning centrist party, Blue and White, was leading over Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party by 0.77 percent of the vote.

A coalition of Arab parties occupies third place and the ultra-conservative Shas Party is at the fourth position and a nationalist party Israel Betting at the fifth position.

The CEC data does not say what equation will form in the 120-member Parliament. However, the Israeli media has reported that Blue and White won two seats more than the Likud party and came second.

It seems that Gantz’s left-leaning centrist coalition can get 57 seats and Netanyahu-led right-wing and religious parties can get 55 seats.

In such a situation, no leader can get a majority without the support of Israel Beiteinu. Party leader Avigdor Lieberman has called for an “influential, liberal” coalition government.

Officials said on Wednesday night that the Prime Minister canceled his program to address the United Nations General Assembly next week.

In a video released on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that he is sad that the election results are showing that he could not form a right-wing government.