Europe Today: Israel faces deadlock after vote, Nordic leaders hold rare Putin call

Israel held parliamentary elections on October 27, 2026, resulting in a political deadlock with no single party or bloc securing an outright majority. The right-wing coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party secured 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party garnered 48 seats. Two Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, emerged as a decisive factor with 19 combined seats, preventing both sides from forming a majority government in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu has accused rival Arab parties of cheating, while the election results indicate that neither side will easily form a stable coalition without engaging these traditionally marginalized groups. The final outcome and subsequent negotiations remain unclear as results are still being tallied.