Netanyahu Vows to Lead Likud Even in Opposition

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to retain his leadership of the Likud party, regardless of whether he can form the next government after the upcoming elections, according to reports from Maariv. He conveyed this stance during private discussions with his associates, indicating that a loss in the elections would not prompt him to leave the political arena or relinquish his chairmanship of Likud.

Netanyahu stated that if the party transitions to opposition, he plans to continue the political struggle and maintain his leadership. "We will do everything to win, but if we do not win, I do not intend to resign," he reportedly told his interlocutors. He also expressed readiness to lead the opposition in case of defeat, aiming for victory in subsequent elections.

Sources close to Likud suggest these statements do not necessarily signal Netanyahu's expectation of defeat. Instead, they interpret his remarks as an effort to preemptively assure party members that losing power would not automatically trigger a succession race. The definition of "defeat" is also crucial; if Netanyahu's opponents fail to form a government despite Likud's poor performance, the political situation could enter a new electoral cycle, during which Netanyahu is expected to maintain influence and party leadership.

This position echoes Netanyahu's experience in 2021, when he remained Likud leader after being in opposition, vowing the party would return to power. He subsequently regained the premiership in December 2022. This past experience, according to Maariv's sources, informs Netanyahu's current view of potential power loss as a waiting period rather than an end to his political career.

Internal Likud rules present obstacles to a swift leadership change. Party bylaws stipulate that leadership elections occur before Knesset elections, and a parliamentary election loss does not automatically trigger new primaries. Furthermore, ousting a significant faction requires the support of about a third of the Knesset members, a threshold that has proven difficult to meet in past challenges. Recent internal primaries have also diminished the influence of potential rivals within the party, making a leadership challenge less likely.