Netanyahu's Likud faction wins Israeli elections

23 January 2013, 00:14 (GMT+04:00)

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Beteinu faction has been confirmed as Israel's largest party following Tuesday's election, according to exit polls that showed the centrist Yesh Atid party pulling a surprise by coming from nowhere to emerge as the second largest party in parliament, dpa reported.

According to the television polls, Netanyahu's party was projected to gain 31 seats, followed by Yesh Atid on 18 or 19 seats.

The centre-left Labour Party was predicted to win 17 seats, with the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party winning 12 seats.

Although the Likud and the Jewish Home did worse than predicted, the block of right-wing religious parties were still expected to secure a narrow majority in the 120-member parliament.