Israel's ex-premier and leader of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu addresses supporters, flanked by his wife Sara, at campaign headquarters in occupied Jerusalem early on Nov. 2, 2022, after the end of voting for national elections. (Credit: Ronaldo/AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu after his victory in last week's elections sealed the former Israeli prime minister's return to power.
Netanyahu and right-wing allies secured a clear win in Tuesday's vote, setting him up to form what may be the most right-wing government in Israeli history.
"I just called Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him for his victory in the elections. We share the same will to strengthen the already strong ties between Israel and France," Macron said in a tweet.
With 32 seats for Netanyahu's Likud party in Israel's 120-seat parliament, and 18 for two ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties and 14 for the rising extreme-right alliance called Religious Zionism, the right-wing bloc supporting the ex-premier now holds 64 seats.
The centrist bloc of outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid won 51 seats, marking a definitive win for Netanyahu and an end to Israel's unprecedented era of political deadlock, which forced five elections in less than four years.