Netanyahu Plans to Abolish Likud Primaries and Form a Screening Committee

The dates for the Likud primaries have been set for July 28, or July 21 if elections are moved up, and the party has even hired a company to manage the voting process, Moti Kastel reported Wednesday evening on Channel 14 News.

Despite the technical preparations, in a meeting held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with local authority leaders and senior Likud figures, he presented a dramatic proposal to change the system. Netanyahu told the participants, "I want to abolish the primaries altogether, temporarily, as an emergency measure, and establish a screening committee, because of the war and because of the need to refresh and improve the face of the list."

Netanyahu explained the move, adding that "primaries in their current format may lead to the formation of groups within the faction in the next Knesset, which could make it difficult to form a government and manage it."

Netanyahu is trying to enlist the local authority leaders behind the move and place in their hands influence over the composition of the list. However, such a move requires the approval of the Likud Conference, where Netanyahu is expected to run into difficulties. Even if he reaches understandings with figures such as David Bitan, many central committee members will demand that primaries be held and will try to push for a secret ballot, in which Netanyahu could lose, which would also hurt Likud's branding as a democratic party.

The assessment is that abolishing the primaries would only be possible in the event of an intense war against Iran in the near future, and the more likely scenario is that Netanyahu will ultimately settle for a demand for a large number of reserved slots.