Likud’s Constitution Committee meeting, originally set for Thursday, was postponed to Sunday after the party failed to reach full agreement on all parts of the compromise outline for its upcoming primary election. The delay comes amid ongoing talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud Central Committee chair, Minister Haim Katz, over changes to the party’s internal election rules.
Party sources still expect the sides to bridge the remaining gaps by Sunday. The compromise plan, first reported by C14, would expand Likud’s national list from the current slots 2 to 19 to roughly slot 40, allowing more sitting MKs and ministers to run on the national slate and improve their chances of making the next list.
In return, Netanyahu would receive about 8 reserved slots on the list, down from the 10 he initially sought. Likud estimates the arrangement would significantly reduce the number of sitting MKs and ministers who could be pushed out of the list, while weakening district representatives, who would be moved to lower positions and forced to compete in fewer districts.
The proposal still needs approval by the Constitution Committee and then by the Likud Conference. Senior faction figures believe that, despite the remaining disputes, a broad agreement will ultimately emerge around Netanyahu’s plan, with the committee expected to approve the main points before the proposal is sent on to the party’s institutions.
