Israel Votes: Gadi Eisenkot Emerges as Frontrunner to Replace Netanyahu

In Israel, voting for parliamentary elections will begin at 7 am today (9.30 am IST). This time, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot is the frontrunner to replace Netanyahu as prime minister. Four out of six opinion polls have given Eisenkot's coalition more seats. Netanyahu's coalition has a lead in one poll and a majority in one poll. Israel's parliament has a total of 120 seats. To form a government, no political party has ever won a majority on its own. In Israel's 76-year history, the people vote not for a leader but for his party. Before the elections, each party draws up a list of candidates. The party's vote throughout the country determines how many seats it will get in parliament. But there is a condition for getting a seat in parliament. A party receives fewer than ID1 votes. To form a government, no party will get less than one seat in parliament.