Likud Court Empowers Netanyahu to Propose Reserved Knesset Seats Independently

The Likud party's internal court has issued a significant ruling regarding the reserved Knesset seats (shriyim) associated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Likud Central Committee is scheduled to convene on Thursday to approve primary elections for the party's Constitution Committee and to ratify new party regulations by Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. If the Constitution Committee fails to approve the regulations, the Central Committee will vote on the 2022 regulations instead. Crucially, the court's decision grants Netanyahu the authority to submit his own proposal for reserved seats without needing approval from party officials, effectively allowing him to bypass the party establishment.

This ruling came after an appeal filed by Dan-Tel Aviv district candidate Dor Harlap, challenging the existing process. The court's decision underscores Netanyahu's autonomy within the party structure concerning the allocation of reserved Knesset seats, which are critical for securing loyal lawmakers in the party list. The upcoming meetings and votes will determine the final framework for these regulations and the primary election procedures within Likud.