Poll results in the Yediot Ahronot newspaper today gave the Zionist Union, comprised of labour and a centre-left party, 26 seats over 21 for Netanyahu's Likud.
It polled 1,032 people with a margin of error of 2.5 percent. Other polls had similar results.
The election is widely seen as a vote of confidence in Netanyahu, whose campaign mainly focuses on security. But after years of rapidly increasing living costs, many Israelis are turning to dovish and centrist parties that focus on social and economic issues.
Dan Meridor, a former leading Likud politician, told Yediot he will not vote for Netanyahu.
