Likud C14 Primaries Shake Up Party Leadership with Surprising Results
The Likud party's C14 primaries have caused significant political upheaval, reshaping the party's national list rankings with tens of thousands of voters participating online. The primaries reveal a dramatic shift in power among top candidates, with some senior members losing ground while others gain momentum.
Knesset Member Tali Gottlieb solidified her position at the top of the list with 48% support, followed by Defense Minister Israel Katz at 39%, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana securing third place with 35%. Other prominent figures in the top five include Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Innovation Minister Gila Gamliel, both maintaining strong support.
The primaries also highlight the rise of hardline figures, such as Nitzach Israel Movement Chairman Shay Kalach, who achieved an impressive sixth place with 34%, and Social Equality Minister Mai Golan, who jumped to seventh place. Education Minister Yoav Kish, Economy Minister Nir Barkat, and Transportation Minister Miri Regev round out the top ten.
Conversely, several notable politicians suffered significant setbacks. MK Gadi Yevarkan received zero votes, placing last at 39th, while Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi and Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman fell to 35th and 36th places respectively, with only 25% support. Veteran Tourism Minister Haim Katz also faced a warning sign, ranking 28th with 29% support.
A major development influencing the results was former Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein's announcement of his final departure from Likud, leading to his removal from the voting portal and deletion of his votes.
The C14 primary portal allows voters to build their preferred national list team in three simple steps, offering a transparent, real-time update of results. The platform encourages public participation to shape Likud's future candidate list ahead of the 2026 elections.
