2013 Israeli legislative election
Party Party Leader Seats Recommended
Likud Yisrael Beiteinu Benjamin Netanyahu 31 Benjamin Netanyahu
Yesh Atid Yair Lapid 19 Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Labor Party Shelly Yachimovich 15 No one
The Jewish Home Naftali Bennett 12 Benjamin Netanyahu
Shas Eli Yishai 11 Benjamin Netanyahu
UTJ Yaakov Litzman 7 Benjamin Netanyahu
Meretz Zehava Gal-On 6 No one
Ra'am Ibrahim Sarsur 4 No one
Hadash Mohammad Barakeh 4 No one
Balad Jamal Zahalka 3 No one
Kadima Shaul Mofaz 2 Benjamin Netanyahu
82 Benjamin Netanyahu
38 No one
Government formation
Main article : Thirty-third government of Israel Party supporters celebrate the success of the centrist Yesh Atid party . After the election , Netanyahu , the previous prime minister and leader of the largest bloc , announced that he wished to form `` as broad a coalition as possible '' and that he was willing to work with Yesh Atid . Labour chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich said she had made contacts with the aim of forming a centre-left coalition excluding Likud-Yisrael Beitenu . Lapid , leader of Yesh Atid , announced that he would not join a coalition aimed at preventing Netanyahu from forming a new government . He also said that he would only join a government committed to reviving the peace process and to reforming the Tal Law . [ 136 ] Several days after the election , domestic media reported that Netanyahu 's former chief of staff Natan Eshel would be involved in the negotiations . This move was criticised since Eshel had been involved in a sexual harassment scandal the year before , which resulted in him being banned from public service . Yesh Atid , announced that it would not meet with Eshel under any circumstances . [ 137 ] In consultation meetings with President Shimon Peres , six parties representing 82 MKs ( Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu , Yesh Atid , the Jewish Home , Shas , United Torah Judaism and Kadima ) recommended that Netanyahu be asked to form a government , whilst the Labor Party , Hatnua , Meretz , Hadash , and the two Arab parties ( 38 MKs ) did not recommend anyone . [ 138 ] On 2 February , Peres formally tasked Netanyahu with forming a government . [ 139 ]
Early elections for the nineteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 22 January 2013. Public debate over the Tal Law had nearly led to early elections in 2012, but they were aborted at the last moment after Kadima briefly joined the government. The elections were later called in early October 2012 after failure to agree on the budget for the 2013 fiscal year. The elections saw the Likud Yisrael Beiteinu alliance emerge as the largest faction in the Knesset, winning 31 of the 120 seats. Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu formed the country's thirty-third government after establishing a coalition with Yesh Atid, the Jewish Home, and Hatnua, which between them held 68 seats.