Israel will hold unprecedented third election in a year
BBC, Dec 11, 2019

Israel will hold its third general election in less than a year after a deadline was missed for any lawmaker to form a majority coalition.

MPs are now expected to set the election date for 2 March.

Ahead of the midnight (22:00 GMT) deadline, they gave initial approval to a bill to dissolve parliament.

Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny Gantz, failed in their own attempts following September's inconclusive election.

The two leaders also could not agree on a power-sharing arrangement.

[...]

It is not clear if another election will break the deadlock. An opinion poll published by Israel's Channel 13 News on Tuesday suggested that Blue and White would win 37 seats and Likud 33 seats.

Mr Netanyahu will also face a challenge from within Likud, which said on Wednesday that it was likely to hold a leadership primary on 26 December.

Former Interior Minister Gideon Saar, who intends to stand, tweeted: "There is a national need for a breakthrough that will end the ongoing political crisis, enable the formation of a strong government, and to unite the people of Israel."


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50742232