Explainer
Minority government: possible without 61?
Yes. The law does not require 61 supporters to form a government. It requires more supporters than opponents. A government backed by fewer than 61 Knesset members is called a minority government.
The confidence vote counts only those who vote. Abstainers are not counted, so abstentions lower the bar.
That is the only condition: supporters must outnumber opponents. This is set by Basic Law: The Government.
Bringing down a government in a no-confidence vote takes 61 members, and the motion must present an alternative government.
Try it: how does each bloc vote on confidence?
Using this election's blocs. Set each bloc to support, abstain or oppose a government presented by the Eisenkot bloc.
The simulator uses the seat snapshot in the election data. Choose how each bloc votes to explore different scenarios.
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An illustration of the voting rule only, using the bloc counts. It is not a forecast and says nothing about parties' intentions.
Coalition parties hold 61 seats or more.
The coalition has fewer than 61, and parties outside the government vote for it or abstain on key votes.
The coalition has fewer than 61, but opponents are even fewer because some parties abstain.
Minority governments in Israel
Almost every minority government formed mid-term, when a party left the coalition. The dashed line is 61.
- Shamir government
The only government in Israel's history to fall in a no-confidence vote, in what became known as the "dirty trick".
- Rabin's second government
After Shas left in September 1993 it rested on 56 members, and on 59 once Yi'ud joined in January 1995. Hadash and Mada supported it from outside.
- Peres government
Formed after Rabin's assassination with 59 members from Labor, Meretz and Yi'ud, and outside support from Hadash and Mada.
- Barak government
It began with 75 supporters. By July 2000, after departures around the Camp David summit, it rested on about 30. Barak resigned in December 2000.
- Sharon governments
They became minority governments after Shinui left, supported from outside by left-wing factions until Labor joined.
- Netanyahu government
In July 2025, after UTJ left and Shas's ministers resigned, reports described the coalition as resting on a minority in the Knesset.
Israel Democracy Institute: research shows minority governments are less stable than majority coalitions. Sources: Israel Democracy Institute ↗ · Minority governments: rule or exception (Hebrew) ↗ · Hebrew Wikipedia · Minority government ↗ · Basic Law: The Government ↗ · Euronews, July 2025 ↗