Likud Sets August 2026 Date for Primaries Amid Internal Dispute Over Reserved Slots

The Likud party's Constitution Committee convened on Sunday evening in the Knesset faction room and unanimously decided to postpone the party's primary elections to August 4, 2026. The official voter registry will close on July 7, 2026, with a possible slight extension to July 10 pending approval from the party's election committee. Full primary procedures will be published to all party members by July 2. The meeting was chaired by Likud Central Committee Chairman Minister Haim Katz.

This technical decision follows months of political turmoil within the party. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not attend the meeting, recently pushed to abolish the primary system entirely and replace it with a "nominating committee" to select Likud's Knesset candidates. Netanyahu's camp even threatened to run an independent list if their demands were not met, aiming to pressure the party's grassroots and leadership due to concerns that the current Likud list is perceived as weak and might reduce voter turnout.

After the Likud court rejected a legal petition by MK David Bitan to block the primaries, Netanyahu shifted strategy to focus on securing personal reserved slots on the list. He now demands at least 11 personal reserved positions within the top 40 candidates to improve the list's appeal in polls. However, the party base, led by Minister Katz, opposes granting so many reserved slots, fearing it would push out district representatives and incumbent MKs.

Due to this deadlock, the committee separated the decision on reserved slots from the primary date setting, postponing the final ruling on Netanyahu's demands until July. The coming weeks will reveal whether Netanyahu can sway the party institutions or if the grassroots will enforce a more limited compromise.