Jerusalem:Attention in Israel is turning to President Isaac Herzog, who will task a member of parliament with forming the next government after preliminary election results left neither main political bloc with a majority. With about 100% of votes counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 48 for the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot. Arab parties won 19 seats, leaving neither main bloc with the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, official results are due by Nov. 4. Herzog must then consult parliamentary factions and assign the task of forming a government within seven days of the results' official publication. Although Israel's presidency is largely ceremonial, selecting a candidate to form a government is one of its most consequential responsibilities, particularly when the election produces no clear winner.

Under Israel's basic law governing the formation of governments, the president must consult representatives of parliamentary factions before tasking a Knesset member with forming a government. Herzog is expected to hold separate meetings next week with representatives of the 11 parties that won seats in the election. During these consultations, party representatives typically recommend their preferred candidate to form the government.

Based on the preliminary results, Arab parties could play an influential role in determining who receives the mandate. The Joint Arab List and the United Arab List could recommend Eisenkot, potentially giving him the backing of a parliamentary bloc exceeding 61 lawmakers. Netanyahu, meanwhile, could insist that he should receive the mandate on the grounds that his Likud party is the largest in the Knesset under this scenario. However, the law does not require the president to select the leader of the party with the most seats.

The Israel Democracy Institute explains that the first stage of forming a government involves selecting the Knesset member who will be tasked with doing so. The president consults representatives of the elected parliamentary factions before choosing a Knesset member to form the government. It notes that the legislation provides no clear guidelines on how to make that decision, giving the president considerable discretion. Herzog's choice could therefore trigger a political dispute with one of the two camps, given the closely balanced distribution of seats.

Herzog previously pledged to work to prevent another election and raised the possibility of a unity government bringing together Netanyahu and Eisenkot. Israeli television channels reported that the president could invite the two leaders to a meeting to discuss forming a joint government. They also suggested that Herzog might publicly call for a unity government in a statement to the Israeli public. This comes as preliminary election results point to difficulties in forming a government with a clear parliamentary majority.

Once a Knesset member is tasked with forming a government, a legal process begins that can take days or weeks and involve up to three attempts. The candidate initially receives 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If the first candidate fails, the president can select another Knesset member, who receives 28 days without the possibility of an extension. If the second attempt fails, a group of 61 Knesset members can request that a third candidate be given the mandate. That candidate then has 14 days to form a government, or Israel heads to another election.

Although governments are usually formed with the support of at least 61 lawmakers, Israeli law also allows minority governments. The Israel Democracy Institute explains that a government can win a confidence vote if more lawmakers vote in favor than against. Whether Herzog gives the mandate to Netanyahu or Eisenkot, or pushes for a unity government, his decision remains the first step in determining the course of Israel's next government formation.