Gila Gamliel Dropped to 35th in Likud List; Eti Atiya Takes 25th

Following a recount and recalculation of votes in the Likud party's primary elections, Minister Gila Gamliel has been pushed down to the 35th position on the party's Knesset list. Member of Knesset Eti Atiya secured the 25th spot, becoming the third-highest-ranked woman and benefiting from a reserved seat intended to ensure female representation.

The Likud primary rules allocate five reserved spots for women within the top 40 positions: 10th, 20th, 25th, 34th, and 40th. These spots are filled by the highest-ranking female candidates if not enough women naturally qualify for those positions based on their vote count. Atiya's 22,210 votes placed her 18th overall, while Gamliel received 21,754 votes, ranking her 20th. The narrow margin of 456 votes between them was a key factor.

The final list order incorporates not only the primary vote results but also reserved seats for specific districts and other internal party mechanisms. This means candidates can fall significantly from their raw vote ranking. Atiya's higher vote count made her the third highest-ranking woman, thus securing her the 25th reserved seat, which in turn pushed Gamliel to 35th.

The contest between Gamliel and Atiya became a focal point of the primaries, particularly after allegations of irregularities and counting errors surfaced at polling stations in Be'er Ya'akov. A subsequent recount addressed these concerns, impacting the final standings. Gamliel had contested the recount process, filing a complaint with the Likud's internal court, stating, "I will not let Haim Katz steal my election for Eti Atiya."