Israeli elections: counting continues, with coalitions at the centre of attention
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After the 27 October vote, first estimates are circulating. Exit polls, however, are not final results. The ability to assemble a majority remains central.
In this article
Where do things stand?
On the morning of 28 October, Le Monde and Le Temps describe a count under way and a majority still uncertain. Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot each declare their intention to form a government.
Why is the ranking not enough?
The Knesset has 120 seats; an absolute majority is 61. Coming first is therefore not necessarily enough to govern. Coalition possibilities between several parties must also be examined.
What is an exit poll worth?
It is an estimate from a survey, not a count of all ballots. Projections vary between broadcasters. At this stage they do not allow us to say that a coalition has already been formed.
The next steps to follow
The official distribution of seats will need to be examined, then the negotiations between parties. Electoral estimate, final seats and formation of a government are separate stages. The time of verification matters in a situation that is changing.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01Negation and its scope
ne / n’ … pas · ne … plus
Les sondages de sortie des urnes ne sont toutefois pas des résultats définitifs.Key pointsNormally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.
02Citing a source with selon
selon + noun / organisation
Les projections varient selon les chaînes.Key pointsSelon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.
03The construction il s’agit de
il s’agit de + noun / infinitive
Il s’agit d’une estimation à partir d’une enquête, pas du comptage de tous les bulletins.Key pointsIt explains what something is about: “it is a matter of…”. The il is not a particular man but a formal subject of this construction. The negative il ne s’agit pas de means “this is not about…”.
04The present of être
est / sont + complement
La Knesset compte 120 sièges ; la majorité absolue est de 61.Key pointsEst is third-person singular and sont third-person plural of être. They express “is / are” — a state or description. If a past participle follows, it is a different structure such as the passive, so check the words that follow.
05The subject relative pronoun qui
noun + qui + verb
L’heure de vérification compte dans une situation qui évolue.Key pointsQui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.
06Dates and their prepositions
le + 日付 / du … au …
Après le scrutin du 27 octobre, de premières estimations circulent.Key pointsLe 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Expressing a possibility
〜可能性がある / 〜かもしれない
複数の政党が協力する連立の可能性を見る必要があります。Key pointsThese forms say something may happen. Even when “possibility” is written, it does not mean it will certainly happen. Check whose forecast it is, plus the time and conditions.
02Polite negation and plain form
〜ではありません / 〜ではない
しかし、出口調査は確定結果ではありません。Key pointsThey negate a noun and similar content. “ではありません” is the polite form and “ではない” the plain form. “成立ではありません” shows that it cannot be said to have been concluded.
03Cause or purpose with ため
〜ため / 〜ために
テレビ局によって推計も違うため、この段階で勝者や連立の成立を断定することはできません。Key pointsため is used for both reason and purpose. “成立ではないため” is a reason and “運転手を守るため” a purpose. Decide from the whole sentence whether what precedes is a cause or a goal.
04Giving examples with など
noun / expression + など
出口調査は、投票を終えた人などへの調査に基づく推計です。Key points“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.
05Treating a clause like a noun with こと
plain-form sentence + こと + particle
テレビ局によって推計も違うため、この段階で勝者や連立の成立を断定することはできません。Key points“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.
06Possibility in Japanese: できる・られる
verb potential form / 〜ことができる
テレビ局によって推計も違うため、この段階で勝者や連立の成立を断定することはできません。Key pointsできる is the basic verb for ability. The potential form of 受ける is 受けられる. The same られる can also be passive or honorific, so decide from the meaning of the sentence.