JERUSALEM — The governing coalition led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the first formal step toward dissolving the Knesset on Wednesday, filing legislation that would set the stage for new elections later this year, the Associated Press reported.
The bill, submitted by Netanyahu’s coalition of religious and nationalist parties, proposes elections no fewer than 90 days after parliamentary approval. The timing provision allows Netanyahu to select a date he calculates will maximize his chances of reelection. Israeli media reported that a preliminary vote on the measure is expected next week.
Under Israeli law, the current Knesset must hold elections by the end of October 2026, the conclusion of its four-year term. Some of Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners have pressed him to accelerate the timeline, urging a vote in early September rather than waiting for the statutory deadline.
The outgoing government’s tenure has been among the most turbulent in recent Israeli history. The October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks — the deadliest assault on Israeli soil since the country’s founding — preceded wars in Gaza and Lebanon, and an extended military confrontation with Iran. The coalition has governed through the entirety of that period.
Opinion polls indicate the coalition may struggle to retain power. The Associated Press reported that surveys show the bloc of religious and nationalist parties that forms Netanyahu’s governing base could face difficulty winning reelection.
The dissolution effort is a preliminary move. Should the Knesset vote to dissolve itself, Israel will enter a campaign season that tests whether the coalition that has steered the country through more than two and a half years of multifront conflict can persuade voters to return it to office.