Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday congratulated former premier Benjamin Netanyahu on his victory in Tuesday’s parliamentary elections.
Lapid said in a statement that his staff was preparing to hand over power.
Israeli election authorities announced on Thursday that Netanyahu’s Likud and related conservative parties had won a majority in parliament. Netanyahu can thus prepare for a return as prime minister.
The 73-year-old politician has been prime minister several times, most recently until June last year. He has held that position for a total of more than 15 years, which makes him the longest-serving head of government in Israel’s history.
Tuesday marked the fifth time in less than four years that Israelis voted on a new legislature.
The elections were held after the incumbent coalition lost its narrow majority in parliament earlier this year and failed to regain it.
