Israel heads to polls on Tuesday in vote seen as pivotal

Israelis are due to cast their ballots on Tuesday in an election regarded by many as one of the most consequential in the country’s history.

Voters choose party lists rather than directly electing a prime minister. Seats in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, are distributed proportionally among parties that pass the electoral threshold.

The result determines the balance of power in parliament, but it does not necessarily produce an immediate answer to who will lead the next government. Parties typically need to negotiate coalition agreements to secure a parliamentary majority.

That makes the contest about more than which party wins the most support. The ability of rival political camps to bring together enough allies is central to forming a government after the ballots are counted.