Israel’s second national election in five months looks like it will end in a deadlock.
Neither incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his closest opponent, former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, appear to have secured a majority vote.
Unofficial results Wednesday show Gantz's centrist Blue and White Party secured 32 seats in parliament, while Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party secured 31; neither came close to winning the 61 of 120 seats required for a majority.
If those results hold, all party leaders who achieved representation in parliament will begin consultations with Israel's president. The president will then determine which party leader will get the first shot at building a governing coalition.
It was Netanyahu’s failure to build a governing coalition after his narrow win in April's elections that prompted this second election.
If no coalition can be reached once again, there is the possibility of yet another round of elections. According to the BBC, much of the country does not appear to want that.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu canceled his upcoming trip to the U.N. General Assembly due to the uncertainty in Israel's elections.
Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.
