Pat Leahy and Naomi O’Leary join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics:

• A new Government body is to be tasked with scoping out the models and challenges for different potential “constitutional futures” for the island, including a 32-county united Ireland. Is this proactive move a response to Irish unity being a priority issue among younger voters?

• Tánaiste Simon Harris confirmed he spoke to his Fine Gael party colleague Patrick O’Donovan some hours before the Minister for Culture recently fell ill at an EU conference in Limerick. Harris wouldn’t share details of the call but rejected any suggestion he threatened O’Donovan’s Cabinet position.

• Dramatic election results played out in Serbia and Brazil where a youth movement and mobilised electorate brought about change. But the most consequential election happened in Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and his right-wing ultra nationalist bloc defying pre-election predictions, and even exit polls, by winning the largest number of seats, but falling short of a majority.

• And France has a very important election on the horizon too with the end of Emmanual Macron’s presidency next May. Right-wing populist Marine Le Pen looks well positioned to succeed Macron.

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As the day drew to a close in Israel on Tuesday, exit polls in the Knesset election suggested a lead for the bloc of parties opposing prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

As the sun rose and official counts were declared a very different picture emerged showing a slender lead for Netanyahu’s bloc.

On today’s podcast, Hugh asks our contributor in Jerusalem, Mark Weiss, to explain where things stand as counting continues.

That lead enjoyed by the prime minister “changes the entire political picture”, he says.

A strong performance by parties representing Israel’s Arab citizens has come at the expense of smaller anti-Netanyahu parties, making it harder for some opposition groups to clear the electoral threshold and enter the Knesset.

“This has played into Netanyahu’s hands”, says Weiss.

Another long protracted negotiation looks likely but the leading opposition figure, Gadi Eisenkot, has already ruled out forming a government with the Israeli Arabs.

The question is will Netenyahu secure enough support to begin another term, or might another election be looming?

The answer is unlikely to come anytime soon.

Presented by Hugh Linehan. Produced by Declan Conlon and JJ Vernon.

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It is one week out from US midterm elections with Democrats hoping to retake control of both the House of Representatives and the powerful Senate. Journalist and podcaster Galen Druke returns to Inside Politics to talk to Hugh Linehan about the state of play.

They look at the overall picture in the House of Representatives, which Democrats need just three seats to retake. Polls show that is likely but gerrymandering could limit their gains.

And they look at the contest for the governorship of Ohio, where one particularly egregious attack ad has drawn a backlash.

Plus: what the midterms can and can't tell us about the 2028 race to succeed Donald Trump, and how Galen's new podcast reunites a beloved old team.

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