Likud Court Rules on Netanyahu's Reserved Slots, Secret Ballots

The Likud party's internal court has issued a ruling regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reserved slots, allowing Israel Katz's reserved position to remain outside Netanyahu's quota. However, the court recommended that Netanyahu consider not utilizing his full quota of reserved slots, especially since some were initially intended for political alliances that did not materialize.

Furthermore, the court mandated that all names Netanyahu wishes to reserve must be provided to Likud secretariat members before the voting session. A significant political implication arises from the ruling that a secret ballot can be called if 10% of attendees request it. This allows secretariat members to oppose candidates without their votes being public, addressing internal opposition to reserving slots for external candidates perceived as lacking significant electoral weight.

The court also rejected MK David Bitan's request to reopen the issue of Israel Katz's reserved slot. However, the decision included sharp criticism of the Likud legal advisor, stating that based on previous legal positions, Netanyahu should not have been granted additional reserved slots beyond his established quota. The court's presiding judge, attorney Bam, described the legal advisor's conduct as "judicial silence and shameful behavior."

Bam noted that if Katz's reservation request had been presented after the legal advisor's arguments in a previous district court proceeding, he would have dismissed it outright. Despite the criticism, the prior decision regarding Israel Katz stands, meaning his reservation remains outside Netanyahu's quota, with the final decision on its use resting with the Likud chairman.

The court also reiterated a previous decision that proposed reservations should be given to secretariat members 48 hours before a vote, calling last-minute submissions a "disgraceful maneuver." This advance notice is intended to allow members to review candidates and decide whether to request a secret ballot. The ruling clarifies that if 10% of attendees at a meeting request a secret vote, it will be held.