Exit Polls Show Netanyahu and His Likud Party Winning a Tight Race

Elections are a time of change and optimism even if the same old faces are at play, and this still holds true for the Israeli general elections today. Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party won a tight race amidst many issues, as the exit polls show.

Uphill battle

There were more than 30 political parties that were at play in this year’s elections, including religious and right-wing political parties. Netanyahu even faced Naftali Bennet, who served as his Chief of Staff and led The Jewish Home party. There were  numerous issues facing the winning government, ranging from economic concerns to nuclear threat issues. Of course, economic concerns aren’t far behind. With the continued global economic crisis, Netanyahu has been criticized for the growing disparity between the rich and the poor.  To help win voters, Netanyahu has sought to lower housing prices days before the election.To keep voters safe, some 20,000 police personnel were tasked to keep the peace and order during the election. With so much at stake, Israelis needed to be wise with their votes.

Netanyahu in a tight race

Amidst all these issues, incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu won, along with his Likud Party (61 out of the 120 Parliamentary seats). This is after three months of a not so peaceful yet snowy campaign period and completing almost four years of his term as Prime Minister. The results are expected to be out Wednesday morning, and the official announcement is scheduled for January 30. By then President Shimon Peres will ask Netanyahu, to try forming a government, he being the leader of the Parliament’s biggest bloc.

To help secure the win, Netanyahu’s Likud party created an electoral coalition with his former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu.

Just like his American counterpart Barrack Obama, Netanyahu won his reelection campaign in spite of many key issues facing his administration and criticisms from his political foes. It looks like Netanyahu also “seized the moment,” just like Obama told his US constituents.

This makes it Netanyahu’s third team leading the Israeli political system.

It will be interesting to see how Netanyahu and the newly elected 120 seats of the Knesset will lead the country in this next term.

Photo Credit:  Benjamin Netanyahu