[1] The table below lists the parliamentary factions represented in the 2nd Knesset.

Meanwhile, Herut overtook the General Zionists, Mapam, and Hapoel HaMizrachi to become the second-largest party, with its share of seats nearly doubling (from 8 in the Second Knesset to 15 in the Third).

It collapsed when Ben-Gurion resigned on 31 December 1957 over the leaking of information from ministerial meetings.

Ben-Gurion formed the eighth government a week later on 7 January 1958 with the same coalition partners.

The eighth government collapsed when Ben-Gurion resigned again on 5 July 1959 after Labour Unity and Mapam had voted against the government on the issue of selling arms to West Germany and refused to leave the coalition.