TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's electoral coalition opened a sizable lead over Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc with 85 percent of the vote counted.

But while Netanyahu outperformed exit polls, which had Eisenkot's opposition coalition ahead, neither bloc will clear a 61-seat majority. That sets the stage for weeks of wrangling over the country's next government.

Why it matters: Netanyahu will emerge from the election down but not out. His bloc is on pace to secure 53 seats — 11 fewer than he currently commands. But Eisenkot's bloc trails with 48 seats, leaving both men without a clear mandate to lead a government.

While Eisenkot could theoretically swear in a government with the support of Arab parties — which are on track to secure a record-breaking 19 seats — such a scenario is highly unlikely.

The intrigue: The actual vote count significantly boosted Netanyahu's standing compared to initial exit polls, which showed Eisenkot's bloc ahead.

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