Minutes before the deadline for him to form a government coalition expired, Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday night that he had succeeded in forming a government with his partners from religious and far-right parties.

After his victory, along with his allies, in the legislative elections held on November 1, Netanyahu had a deadline expiring at 11:59 on Wednesday night (21:59 GMT) to inform President Yitzhak Herzog that he had "succeeded" in forming the next government .

Netanyahu will thus succeed outgoing prime minister Yair Lapid.

Minutes before the deadline expired, Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew, "I got it".

In a statement, Netanyahu said he had sent Herzog the following message: "thanks to the great public support we received during the last elections, I inform you that I have been able to form a government that will work for the benefit of all citizens of Israel".

According to Israeli election laws, Netanyahu had a deadline expiring on December 11 to announce his government, but he asked for an extension of 14 days, the maximum legally allowed, but Herzog agreed to give him only ten more days.

The Israeli press expected Netanyahu to announce his success in forming the government before the end of Wednesday night, even if the details have not been completed.

But Netanyahu's partners are well-known, namely the ultra-Orthodox and ultra-religious parties Shas and yehudot Hatorah, and the three extreme right-wing parties, namely religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich, the Jewish power led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Noam party headed by Avi Maoz.