“While weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government lay ahead, conditions set by the parties could hobble the task within the allotted time, prompting a never-before held third election. With nearly all votes counted Thursday, the centrist Blue and White party stood at 33 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud stood at 31 seats,” the AP reports.

“Neither party can form a government without the support of the election’s apparent kingmaker, Avigdor Lieberman of the Yisrael Beitenu party. His insistence on a secular government would force out Netanyahu’s traditional allies, the country’s two ultra-Orthodox parties and another nationalist-religious party.”

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’ll still fight to keep power despite exit polls from today’s elections showing his Likud party trailing the center-left Blue and White party and his right-wing bloc falling short of a majority,” Israel’s Channel 13 reports.

“Netanyahu accused the media of biased coverage during the campaign and insisted that after waiting for the final results, he’d attempt to form a governing coalition.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party trails the Blue and White party in 2 of 3 exit polls released as polls closed in Israel today, and the two are tied in the third poll, Axios reports.

All 3 polls show his right-wing bloc falling short of the 61 seats needed for a majority.

“Israelis vote Tuesday in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power despite a looming indictment on corruption charges,” the AP reports.

“Netanyahu, the longest serving leader in Israeli history, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, and fifth overall. But he faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud. Both parties could struggle to form a majority coalition with smaller allies, though, forcing them into a potential unity government.”

“President Trump said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a possible mutual defense treaty between the two nations, a move that could bolster Netanyahu’s re-election bid just days before Israelis go to the polls,” NBC News reports.

“He added that he looked forward to continuing those discussions later this month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has officially declared the date for Canada’s general election: October 21, Axios reports.

“The election will effectively be a referendum on Trudeau’s first term. That’s not necessarily good news for the telegenic PM — an ethics scandal and unfulfilled expectations mean it’s far from certain he’ll win a new term. Polls show his Liberals neck and neck with the opposition Conservatives.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered another big loss, with the House of Commons rejecting his motion calling for a general election by 298 to 56.

Because many opposition MPs abstained, it did not receive the two thirds majority required to trigger national ballot.

Axios: “It’s a disastrous start for the new prime minister, who campaigned on a pledge to leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal. No prime minister has lost their first vote in office since 1783 — let alone their first 3.”

“The opposition Labour Party said it would not back an election until the bill ruling out a no-deal is enshrined in law. It has to pass through Parliament’s upper chamber, the House of Lords, for that to happen.”

Politico: “Johnson’s preference is for an election on Oct. 14, hoping that his Conservative Party will gain seats in the House of Commons and give him more backing for his preferred approach to Brexit.”

“Calling an election would be a big risk, though. It would essentially amount to a second referendum on Brexit in all but name and serve as a first referendum on Johnson. The previous prime minister, Theresa May, called an early election in 2017, only to have it misfire, leaving her with a wafer-thin majority.”

“Parliament could also attempt to remove Johnson without turning to the voters — via a vote of no confidence. But because Johnson succeeded in getting the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks starting on Sept. 9, there’s likely no time for Johnson’s Parliamentary opponents to pull off that maneuver.”

Haaretz: “In recent weeks, there have been intensive talks between some of Netanyahu’s advisers and people close to U.S. President Donald Trump over a potential statement by the American president, in which he could commit to protecting Israel in the future from any existential threat.”

“In addition, Netanyahu is also trying to orchestrate some form of gesture from Russian President Vladimir Putin — either in the form of an official Putin visit to Israel or a trilateral meeting of the national security advisers of Israel, Russia and the United States. This would be similar to a meeting that took place in Israel in June.”

“Speculation is mounting that Boris Johnson could call a snap general election if backbench rebels succeed in passing a bill to delay Brexit, with a Downing Street source saying the issue would be treated as ‘an expression of confidence’ in the government,” the Guardian reports.

“Johnson’s cabinet ministers are being summoned for an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon.. Senior sources among the cross-party group of rebels say they believe Johnson could seek a snap general election as early as Wednesday.”

“Support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged in two state elections in the east of the country as voters disillusioned with Angela Merkel’s government abandoned the center in droves,” Politico reports.

“Though the AfD didn’t win either state as some had feared, it posted its best-ever result in both, sending a strong message to the Merkel’s centrist coalition in Berlin.”

“British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s governing Conservative Party has a lost a special election, leaving it with a wafer-thin working majority in Parliament of just one vote,” the AP reports.

“Johnson says Britain will leave the European Union on Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. But Parliament is likely to try to thwart his plans.”

“Boris Johnson will become Britain’s next prime minister after being elected leader of the Conservative party, defeating Jeremy Hunt in the party’s leadership contest,” the Guardian reports.

“Johnson will not take office formally until Wednesday afternoon. Theresa May will face her final prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons before tendering her resignation to the Queen.”

“Johnson will then go to Buckingham Palace himself for his appointment to be confirmed – before being driven to Downing Street to give a speech in front of the black door of No 10.”

The Financial Times notes Johnson “stands to inherit a party deeply divided on Brexit, its parliamentary majority on the brink of disappearing, and MPs on alert for an early general election.”

“Boris Johnson wants to hold an early general election ‘while Jeremy Corbyn is still around,’ senior allies have said as his team plans to overhaul the Conservative Party’s campaign machine,” the Times reports.

“The frontrunner for the Tory leadership appeared last night at a fundraising dinner with his rival, Jeremy Hunt, that was attended by 100 Conservative donors in an attempt to boost the party coffers and build an election war chest.”

BuzzFeed News “has obtained an explosive audio recording of the Metropol meeting in which a close aide of Europe’s most powerful far-right leader — Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini — and the other five men can be heard negotiating the terms of a deal to covertly channel tens of millions of dollars of Russian oil money to Salvini’s Lega party.”

“The recording reveals the elaborate lengths the two sides were willing to go to conceal the fact that the true beneficiary of the deal would be Salvini’s party — a breach of Italian electoral law, which bans political parties from accepting large foreign donations — despite the comfort with which he and Europe’s other far-right leaders publicly parade their pro-Kremlin political sympathies.”