Golan declares 65-seat opposition majority in 2026 Knesset

Israeli politics shifted after the 2026 Knesset elections when opposition leaders calculated a governing majority that includes Arab representatives. Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, announced on Wednesday morning that the bloc opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds 65 seats when Arab parties are included.

First, Golan asserted that the governing coalition lost the election based on seat counts. He stated, "Netanyahu lost. I know how to count to 120. 65 is more than 55. That's how Israeli democracy works. Period." This calculation relies on data from the Central Elections Committee, which projects the opposition bloc will hold 47 seats.

Second, the Democrats leader called for the inclusion of Ra'am and the Joint List in the new government. CEC projections indicate these two Arab parties will win six and 12 seats, respectively. Golan argued that if Netanyahu attempts to form a strictly Zionist government, he must exclude the 16 Knesset members from non-Zionist Haredi parties. Golan described the new potential cabinet as a government of change that would serve all Israeli citizens in partnership with Arab representatives.

Third, other opposition figures confirmed the shift in power dynamics. MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats said the political reality has changed following the vote. He noted on social media that the right-wing coalition lost enough seats to likely prevent them from forming a similar government again. Kariv stated that a substantial majority of voters, by a margin of hundreds of thousands, voted against Netanyahu. He added that the opposition has grown stronger in representing both the liberal Jewish and Arab publics.

The Central Elections Committee data provides the numerical basis for these claims. The opposition coalition, which includes Yashar, B’Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu, and the Democrats, is projected to enter the Knesset with 47 seats. The Democrats party itself is projected to win nine seats. The 65-seat total cited by Golan combines these 47 opposition seats with the projected 18 seats from the two Arab parties.

Kariv emphasized the expectation from a segment of the public that serves and works in the country. He urged leaders to make decisive choices about Israel's future and to act together. He warned that Netanyahu and his partners should not continue leading the country down the path taken over the past four years.