A new Maariv poll shows Netanyahu’s coalition weakened to 49 seats, as Bennett’s comeback party and Eisenkot’s Yashar! reshape Israel’s political map.
A new Maariv poll released Friday paints a sobering picture for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, projecting it would secure just 49 Knesset seats if elections were held today—far short of a governing majority.
The survey comes as Israel intensifies its IDF operation to seize control of Gaza City, and only days after Netanyahu’s dramatic “Sparta speech,” where he urged Israel to embrace greater self-reliance in defense and economy.
The poll shook up the political landscape by testing two hypothetical new parties: “Bennett 2026,” led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and Yashar! led by war cabinet minister Gadi Eisenkot.
The results:
- Likud remains the largest party with 25 seats, outpacing Bennett’s new faction at 20 seats.
- The left-wing Democrats trail with 11 seats.
- Yisrael Beytenu stands at 10 seats.
- Yashar! (Eisenkot) garners 9 seats.
- Shas, Otzma Yehudit, and United Torah Judaism each secure 8 seats.
- Yesh Atid collapses to just 7 seats.
- Arab parties Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am each win 5 seats.
- Blue and White barely crosses the threshold with 4 seats.
- Balad and Religious Zionism fail to enter the Knesset.
By blocs:
- Netanyahu’s coalition: 49 seats
- Center-left opposition: 61 seats
- Arab parties: 10 seats (traditionally unaffiliated with either bloc).
The poll highlights a volatile political moment: Bennett, once written off, would instantly become the second-largest force in the Knesset, while Eisenkot carves a modest but significant entry. For Netanyahu, the path to 61 grows narrower—raising the stakes as Israel’s war and political future collide.
