Netanyahu's bloc wins 64 seats, secures power
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Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured his third term as premier.
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Former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Former Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured his victory in the Israeli elections on Thursday, as his far-right coalition made up the majority of the Knesset.
According to results by the electoral commission, Netanyahu's Likud Party earned 32 seats in the Knesset, which hosts 120 seats. Two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties put forward 18 candidates, with 14 others pertaining to the extreme-right alliance called Religious Zionism, giving Netanyahu's bloc a total of 64 seats.
In contrast, parties backing Yair Lapid, the Israeli caretaker prime minister, got 51 seats, making Netanyahu the winner.
Read next: Lapid concedes defeat to Netanyahu as election tally nears end
The current results put an end to the political crisis, which forced 5 elections in under 4 years.
Lapid congratulated Netanyahu, calling on his office to "prepare an organized transition of power", a statement from his office said.
Italy's neo-fascist Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu on his victory in spearheading the Israeli elections.
"Congratulations-Mazel Tov to @netanyahu for the electoral success," Meloni said on Twitter. "Ready to strengthen our friendship and our bilateral relations, to better face our common challenges."
