Netanyahu pledge after narrow win

08:00, 23 January 2013

JERUSALEM. January 23. KAZINFORM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to form "as broad a government as possible" after his alliance won a narrow election victory.

His right-wing Likud-Beitenu bloc will have 31 seats in parliament - a sharp drop from 42, exit polls suggest.

In a major surprise, the centrist Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party came second with a predicted 18-19 seats, with Labour next on 17.

Analysts now predict weeks of political horse-trading to form a new cabinet.

They say that there is even a possibility that Mr Netanyahu's bloc would end up being in opposition, BBC reported.

Thirty-two parties were competing under a system of proportional representation for the 120-member Knesset.

Parties must win at least 2% of the total vote to secure seats.

Full election results are expected on Wednesday, and the official ones will be announced on 30 January.

Elections