Netanyahu Delays Likud Primaries to Secure More Reserved Seats on Party List

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly delaying the Likud party's primary election process to secure a larger number of reserved slots on the party's candidate list ahead of upcoming elections. Senior party officials told Channel 13 that Netanyahu is prolonging the procedure to leave insufficient time for full primaries, raising concerns that the scheduled August 4 primaries may be postponed due to technical reasons.

Earlier, Knesset member David Bitan petitioned the Likud court to allow him to propose his own primary regulations amid fears that Netanyahu and Minister Haim Katz have already arranged deals for numerous reserved seats. This follows a recent scandal involving alleged election fraud within Likud, which led State Comptroller officials to request access to the party’s voter registry and related documents at its Tel Aviv headquarters for further investigation. The party had initially blocked their access for about two weeks.

Last month, Netanyahu proposed canceling the primaries once and transferring the power to select the party list to the party convention, fearing that primaries might result in the election of candidates he opposes. This proposal caused discontent among party members and local leaders. Likud insiders now expect a compromise that would increase Netanyahu’s reserved seats while still holding primaries.

Two days ago, Netanyahu met with Haim Katz, chairman of the Likud Central Committee, at Katz’s home to secure approval for the number of reserved seats, receiving a green light. According to Channel 13, Netanyahu conveyed to senior Likud figures that the current list "will not bring governance," emphasizing the need to "inject new blood and refresh the ranks with excellent new people," as stated by a senior party official in response to Netanyahu’s remarks.