The country has been caught in an election cycle since 2019, amid persistent deadlock between former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rivals on the left, right and centre.
December 2018 - Netanyahu, veteran leader of the right-wing Likud Party, seemed to be at the peak of his powers, about to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
April 9, 2019 - Election day, after which Netanyahu - under criminal investigation for corruption - struggles for weeks to put together a coalition and fails.
Rather than wait for the opposition to vote them out, the government moves to dissolve parliament, triggering Israel's fifth election since 2019.
Whoever is picked, long coalition talks will likely ensue, either delivering a government - or a sixth election.