Israeli President Isaac Herzog begins coalition talks following hung election

Israeli election officials narrowly certified the results of the country's inconclusive general election on Wednesday, UPI reported. Israeli President Isaac Herzog officially accepted the final tally from the Central Elections Committee during a formal ceremony. Herzog announced that he would start consulting with leaders from the largest political blocs in the Knesset later Wednesday to determine who should be asked to form the next government. [1]

The vote was widely viewed as a referendum on the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UPI reported. Voters particularly examined his handling of the October 7 attacks in 2023. The election leaves the political landscape in a stalemate, with The Christian Science Monitor and Reuters also reporting that the election resulted in a deadlock. [1][3][4]

Herzog has served as the president of Israel since 2021, as FTMQ News reported earlier. According to Wikipedia, he is the first Israeli president born in the country after its Declaration of Independence. [7][8]

The consultation process will focus on deciding which political leader holds the best chance of building a stable coalition, UPI reported. Herzog holds the official responsibility to invite a chosen leader to assemble the new government. [1][5]