'Huge win for right': Netanyahu after exit polls favour Likud party

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed a "huge win for the right" in Israel's election after his Likud party was projected to have won the most seats, making a way for a majority.

The polls on three broadcasters' projected that Netanyahu's party, won from 31 to 33 seats, while his wider right-wing bloc won 53 to 54 seats -- short of the 61 seats he needs to form a majority coalition in Israel's 120 member parliament, quoted by The New York Times.

"It is clear that the overwhelming majority of the citizens of Israel are right-wingers and they want a strong and stable right-wing government that will safeguard the economy of Israel, the security of Israel and the land of Israel," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu's most obvious path to power now depends on Naftali Bennett, a rival right-winger whose party won seven to eight seats, NYT report said, adding that final results could easily change the outcome.

The series of elections to the Israeli Knesset has been ongoing since April 2019. Twice the winning parties failed to form a majority coalition and create a government. After the last election in March 2020, the government was formed but ceased to exist half a year later.

( With inputs from ANI )