Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc appeared to fall behind its opponents in Tuesday’s national elections, according to exit polls, raising the prospect of weeks of coalition negotiations or another election.

Exit polls released by major Israeli television networks projected Netanyahu’s bloc winning approximately 50 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while opposition parties were expected to secure 52 to 53 seats. Arab-led parties were projected to win another 17 to 18 seats. The figures remain preliminary, and official results could differ.

Even if the projections hold, Netanyahu’s opponents could struggle to assemble a governing majority. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, his principal rival, may need support from Arab-led parties to form a government, a partnership that could complicate negotiations with other opposition factions.

Eisenkot said the exit polls reflected a “lack of confidence” in Netanyahu’s leadership. Arab voters celebrated the preliminary figures, while supporters of right-wing parties aligned with the prime minister expressed disappointment.

The election marks Israel’s first national vote since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack and comes after years of war and political division. The conflicts involving Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran have intensified security concerns while straining Israel’s relationships with some of its international partners.

More than 74% of eligible voters had cast ballots by 8 p.m., according to Israel’s Central Elections Committee. That represented the highest turnout at that point in decades and was about four percentage points above the rate recorded at the same time during the 2022 election. More than seven million Israelis were eligible to vote, including approximately 330,000 young people voting for the first time.

Under Israel’s parliamentary system, no party has ever won an outright majority on its own. The president must ask the party leader considered best positioned to form a government to negotiate a coalition. If no candidate can assemble sufficient support, the country could hold another election early next year. Israel held five elections between April 2019 and November 2022 amid similar political deadlock.

Netanyahu’s Likud party sought to extend voting hours beyond 10 p.m., but the election commission rejected the request, saying there was no justification. Eisenkot opposed the extension and accused Netanyahu of using “scare tactics” to influence voters.

Netanyahu had warned that Arab parties were receiving “truly massive support” and heading to polling stations in “unprecedented numbers.” Mansour Abbas, leader of the Islamist Ra’am party, said during voting that the election could bring a change in government. Arab citizens make up roughly 20% of Israel’s population.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right ally of Netanyahu, warned that an opposition victory could produce a government dependent on Abbas’ party. Ben-Gvir has drawn international criticism for his statements and policies toward Palestinians.

The campaign also highlighted deep disagreements over military service, the judiciary and the direction of the Israeli state. Opposition parties have pledged to strengthen judicial independence and expand military conscription among ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, many of whom are exempt from service under existing arrangements.

Netanyahu’s supporters credit him with defending Israel’s security and maintaining its Jewish identity during an extended period of conflict and international pressure. His critics argue that his government has weakened democratic institutions and prolonged the Gaza war and hostage crisis for political reasons. Netanyahu, who faces an ongoing corruption trial, denies wrongdoing.

Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff whose son and two nephews were killed in Gaza, campaigned on security and government accountability. He began election day by visiting communities attacked on October 7 and urged voters to replace Netanyahu’s coalition.

“If someone in the government had a shred of responsibility, they would start the morning here,” Eisenkot said while visiting communities near the Gaza border. Later, he called on Israelis to vote against what he described as “the worst government Israel has known.”

The election also took place amid growing international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, declining public support in the United States and sanctions imposed by some European partners. Netanyahu faces an international arrest warrant over alleged crimes related to the Gaza conflict, accusations he denies. Tensions with Iran remained another central concern, with Netanyahu warning Tehran before the vote that it would face “a devastating blow” if it attacked Israel.

Despite scattered complaints about possible irregularities at polling stations, acting elections commission director-general Dean Livne said the number of complaints was lower than in previous elections.

The exit polls leave Israel facing another uncertain period of coalition bargaining. Until official results are finalized and political leaders determine whether they can assemble a governing majority, it remains unclear whether the vote will produce a new government or lead to another election.