EXPLAINER-Israel election: What happens after polls close?

Israel holds a parliamentary election on Tuesday, its ​first since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 ​that shook the country and plunged ‌the Middle East ​into turmoil.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hold on power is at stake, with centrist rivals promising to usher in a new era, but it might take time before ‌clear results are known. WHEN WILL WE KNOW WHO WON?

It is likely this will be known within a few hours of polls closing, but it could take days or even weeks to become clear. Voting starts at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and ‌ends at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT), when Israeli TV channels will air exit polls giving the first indications of the ‌outcome. The election results will then start coming in.

A clear picture may emerge quickly but if no party or group of parties has a clear parliamentary majority, it could take much longer. The final tally is expected by October 30 and official election results are formally published a week after ⁠the election, ​on November 4.

WHY IS IT ⁠SO COMPLICATED? Elections to the 120-seat Knesset are meant to be held every four years but early elections have been frequent.

The Knesset seats are ⁠allocated by proportional representation to national party lists, with parties needing to pass a threshold of 3.25% of the national vote to ​secure seats. About a dozen parties are widely thought to have a chance of crossing the threshold, so the ⁠final tally and seat allocation will take time.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE RESULTS ARE PUBLISHED? After the final tally is in, President Isaac Herzog will consult party ⁠leaders ​on whom they want as prime minister and then tap the candidate he believes has the best chance of forming a government.

That nominee has up to 42 days to form a government. No single party in Israel has ⁠ever won an outright majority, so governments are formed by a coalition of parties, and negotiations on forming a government ⁠often take weeks. Every Knesset seat ⁠counts and small parties can have a big impact by becoming kingmakers.

If the nominee fails, others can get a chance to try. If no government emerges, another election is ‌called, with the ‌present cabinet staying on as a caretaker government.