Benjamin Netanyahu remains Israel's prime minister as the new parliament takes office on Tuesday, but its less favourable composition could make his political position considerably more difficult.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief seeking to move Israel towards the political centre, was given the mandate by President Isaac Herzog on Sunday to form a new government. However, the task is complicated as neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu commands a parliamentary majority.
Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, will remain caretaker prime minister. However, the new 120-member parliament can still take steps to challenge him.
The absence of a new government "does not infringe upon the Knesset's prerogatives", said Assaf Shapira, a political expert at the Israel Democracy Institute.
Eisenkot has also warned military chiefs that Netanyahu does not have a mandate to resume the war against Iran. However, the statement was more political than legal, as Netanyahu remains in charge of national security.
Netanyahu's bloc has fallen to 53 seats in the new parliament, down from the 68 seats it previously held.
Eisenkot's main opposition bloc has 48 seats, fewer than Netanyahu's camp. However, the new parliament also includes a record 19 lawmakers from Arab-majority parties that strongly oppose Netanyahu and his hard-right government, although it remains unclear whether Eisenkot will seek to work directly with Arab-Israeli lawmakers.
Here are some ways the new parliament could challenge Netanyahu:
One of the opposition's key election promises was to establish a commission of inquiry into the security failures that allowed Hamas to carry out its October 7, 2023, attack, the deadliest day in Israel's history.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, but his government has consistently opposed the creation of an independent national commission with broad investigative powers. Instead, the prime minister has supported a review conducted by politically appointed members.
Even before a new government is formed, the incoming parliament could establish a special committee to investigate the attack and submit its findings to a future commission of inquiry, Shapira said.
Eisenkot declared after the election that establishing such a commission would be an immediate priority.
The new parliament could also move quickly to repeal some of the most controversial laws introduced under Netanyahu, including measures aimed at overhauling the judiciary, which the prime minister has viewed as hostile, particularly after he was charged with corruption.
The proposed judicial overhaul triggered some of the largest protests in Israel's history, with liberals warning that it threatened the country's democratic system. However, the Hamas attack and subsequent wars quickly shifted public attention.
The new parliament could seek to reverse laws passed by the previous coalition that restricted the Supreme Court's powers and made it easier to dismiss the attorney general.
Lawmakers could also roll back exemptions allowing ultra-Orthodox Jews to avoid compulsory military service. The exemptions have angered many Israelis at a time when the military is under growing pressure. However, the existing provisions have also failed to satisfy ultra-Orthodox parties, which are being courted by at least one opposition figure.
Shapira said repealing laws introduced under Netanyahu could be relatively straightforward, requiring a parliamentary vote to restore previous policies. However, passing new legislation could take weeks as opposition parties coordinate their priorities.
The first political confrontation is likely to centre on the election of a new Knesset speaker. The incumbent, Amir Ohana, is a Netanyahu loyalist from his Likud Party.
Under parliamentary rules, the speaker can be elected during the inaugural session and must be chosen before a new government is sworn in.
An initial dispute emerged on Thursday when three parties in Eisenkot's bloc sent letters to the outgoing speaker requesting that his successor be elected at the opening session, a more common practice, according to Shapira.
Ohana responded that it was customary to elect the speaker on the day a new government is sworn in.
Naftali Bennett, a key opposition figure, has pledged to act "urgently" on the bloc's priorities.
"We will take control of the Knesset as quickly as possible," he said.