Netanyahu officially announces bid for 2026 elections
Illustrative photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially confirmed his intention to run in the upcoming elections and seek a new mandate as head of government, according to Netanyahu’s statement during an interview with Channel 14 on October 18.
When asked by a journalist whether he plans to run in the elections scheduled for October 2026, Netanyahu replied, "Yes."
When asked if he was confident of winning, he also gave a brief answer: "Yes, I will win."
Israel's longest-serving leader
Netanyahu, leader of the center-right Likud party, already holds the record as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, over 18 years in total (with breaks since 1996).
In the last elections in 2022, his right-wing bloc returned to power after a brief loss in 2021. Likud won 32 seats in the Knesset, with another 18 going to ultra-Orthodox allies and 14 to the far-right Religious Zionism bloc, a record result for the Israeli far right.
Political challenges: protests and war
Netanyahu's current term has been marked by severe internal turmoil. His attempt to push through judicial reform sparked the largest protests in Israel’s history.
Following the Hamas attack from Gaza and the outbreak of war, the prime minister faced growing criticism from the families of Israeli hostages, who accused the government of acting too slowly to secure their release.
Earlier, Netanyahu was given an ultimatum by far-right allies threatening to break up the governing coalition if he failed to meet their demands.
