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The Middle Eastern country of Israel has just wrapped up its third election in 11 months. The other two which were held last year resulted in deadlocks in Israel's government. So the question is, will this election break it? Here's why there's been a stalemate.
In Israel's Knesset, its parliament, there are 120 seats. A political party needs to have a simple majority, at least 61 of those seats to take control and choose the prime minister. But there are dozens of political parties in Israel. No single one of them is likely to get that 61 seat majority in an election, so they have to team up to form a coalition to make things work.
But after last April's election and for the first time in Israel's history, no one was able to form that coalition government including the party of Israel's current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So he called for a second round of elections. Those were held in September. And again, deadlock.
So what happened last night? We don't have the final results but all three of the main exit polls in Israel projected that a coalition led by the incumbent prime minister was on track to secure 60 seats.
That's one short of the simple majority. And this same coalition secured 60 seats in the first election last April but wasn't able to form a government. Still, Prime Minister Netanyahu called Mondays votes a great victory for Israel. And if a coalition government is formed this time around, the nation will avoid a fourth election.
