Israel's parliament, the Knesset, officially dissolved on Friday, paving the way for national elections on October 27. This marks the first time since 1988 that a Knesset has completed its full four-year term, a rare milestone in Israel's notoriously volatile political landscape.

The vote is widely seen as a critical referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political survival and his controversial wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and against Iran. Israel's fragile coalition governments frequently collapse early, leading to snap elections, but this dissolution comes after a full term.

In preparation, the Knesset held a marathon overnight session, passing several key laws. Among them was the Party Funding Law, which unlocks state-regulated campaign funds and legally confirmed the October 27 election date.

Netanyahu's hardline coalition, the most nationalist in Israel's history, also pushed through a series of contentious laws to secure its base. The 'legislative blitz' included a sweeping Communications Law (passed 53-48) that dismantles independent media regulators in favor of a government-supervised broadcast authority.

Highly divisive legislation exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military conscription was also approved. According to state broadcaster Kan, these moves aimed to satisfy Netanyahu's religious and nationalist coalition partners and prevent the government from fracturing before the campaign.

However, Netanyahu and his allies face an uphill battle amid public anger over the unpopular war against Iran. A Kan poll suggests the ruling Likud party trails the opposition, and Netanyahu's bloc remains well short of the 61-seat majority needed to govern.

The primary threat comes from the newly founded centrist Yashar ('Straight') party, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, which has surged past Likud in recent polling. Following the Knesset's closure, secular right-wing leader Avigdor Liberman declared on social media: 'On October 27, we will win. We will replace the government… and rebuild the country.'

Source: www.aljazeera.com