Likud lawmaker David Bitan, who chairs the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, said Monday morning that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to choose the party slate through a selection committee, a move Bitan called contrary to Likud’s democratic principles. In an interview with Kan News’ radio program Kalman Lieberman on Reshet Bet, Bitan said Netanyahu had told people he wanted such a committee and described it as “a very significant change” for Likud.
Bitan argued that Netanyahu has not succeeded in past attempts to handpick candidates through reserved slots and said, “The whole party should be against this.” He added that the Likud’s base is democratic, and that MPs, ministers, activists and central committee members function “like one family.” According to Bitan, there is no reason to change that system because it gives Likud its vitality. He also said party secretary rules should remain democratic for selecting people who are elected to govern.
Bitan said he had filed a petition against changing the method, arguing it is improper to alter the rules one month before primaries after members have already prepared for a different process. He said he does not think the central committee will approve Netanyahu’s request. “You cannot change the system a month before,” he said.
Asked about the uproar in the Knesset over the election of state comptroller nominee Michael Raballo, after Likud MKs were instructed in the second round of voting to photograph themselves voting behind the curtain, Bitan said there was no problem. He said the lawmakers who took photos were signaling that they had the right to do so, not acting under orders. “Those who photographed it was clear they would vote for Raballo,” he said, adding that they were mainly protesting the ban on photographing.
Bitan also rejected criticism that Raballo had previously represented Netanyahu, saying judges are not disqualified if they know or once represented a party. He noted that Raballo was the only candidate who applied, and said that if another candidate had entered the race, he might have supported that person instead.
