Millions of Israelis head to the polls today (Tuesday) to vote for the 26th Knesset, but beyond the battle over who will form the next government, this election marks a historic milestone: for the first time since 1988, Knesset elections are being held on their original scheduled date, after the outgoing Knesset completed its full term.
ISRAEL VOTES: After 13 consecutive early elections, the 25th Knesset has completed its full four-year term—a historic break from decades of political instability and collapsed governments.
Millions of Israelis will go out to vote today (Tuesday) in the elections for the 26th Knesset. For nearly four decades, the Israeli public has become accustomed to early elections, born of coalition crises, the dissolution of governments, and political divisions.
This time, despite the security and political crises that have befallen Israel over the past four years, the 25th Knesset completed its full legal term.
Israel is still characterized by a relatively high frequency of elections compared to other parliamentary democracies.
— C14 News | EN (@c14english) October 27, 2026
For nearly four decades, the Israeli public has grown accustomed to early elections triggered by coalition crises, government collapses, and political disputes. This time, despite the security and political crises that have hit Israel over the past four years, the 25th Knesset completed its full legal term.
13 Consecutive Times—Elections Were Moved Up
According to a review published by the Israel Democracy Institute, since the elections for the 12th Knesset in 1988, Israel has held 13 consecutive election cycles in which the Knesset did not complete its original term.
In 1992, elections were moved up following the collapse of Yitzhak Shamir’s government. In 1996, elections were held following the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the advancement of the race for the premiership. In the years that followed, Israeli governments struggled to complete full terms, largely due to political crises and disputes within coalitions.
The most extreme period was between 2019 and 2022, when Israeli citizens were called to vote five times in less than four years. The repeated election cycles stemmed from difficulty forming stable governments, Knesset dissolutions, and failed attempts to assemble coalitions that could last over time.
Four Years of War and Crises
The 25th Knesset was elected in November 2022, and following the elections, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was formed. During the term, the government faced sharp disputes over judicial reform, public protests, the issue of haredi conscription, and the events of October 7th.
Israel subsequently faced a prolonged war on multiple fronts, alongside diplomatic and economic challenges. Despite disputes within the coalition and political pressures, the Knesset did not dissolve before the date set by law, and elections were scheduled for October 27, 2026.
Is This a Trend Shift?
According to Basic Law: The Knesset, the Knesset’s term is four years, but several mechanisms can lead to its early termination, including a decision to dissolve the Knesset, failure to approve the state budget, or failure in government formation procedures.
Historical data shows that completing a full term is not a given in the Israeli political system. Despite the exceptional case of the current Knesset, Israel is still characterized by a relatively high frequency of elections compared to other parliamentary democracies.
Now, on election day for the 26th Knesset, voters will also face the question of whether the government formed following the results will succeed in replicating the parliamentary stability of the outgoing Knesset, or whether Israel will return once again to the cycle of early elections.