Likud's Constitution Committee Debates Primary System Changes Ahead of Final Vote

The Likud Constitution Committee, chaired by Minister Haim Katz, held a preliminary meeting on Thursday to discuss proposed changes to the party's primary election system. The session, which included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focused on altering the primary voting method, redrawing electoral districts, and adjusting the reserved slots (shriyoonim) on the Likud's Knesset candidate list.

Several temporary amendment proposals were presented and debated during the meeting. These proposals aim to regulate the number of reserved slots allocated to Netanyahu, modify the district structure, and reform the internal selection process. The committee plans to hold a decisive vote on these changes in a follow-up meeting scheduled for July 12, with the exact time and location to be announced later.

This discussion comes amid Likud's accelerated preparations for its upcoming primaries. Last month, the Constitution Committee confirmed that the primaries would proceed despite ongoing debates within the party about changing the candidate selection method. Since then, Netanyahu and Katz have been negotiating a framework to finalize the number of reserved slots, district boundaries, and the overall list formation process.

Following the committee's final decisions, the proposals will be submitted for approval by the party's governing bodies as required by the Likud constitution. The outcome will shape the party's candidate list ahead of the next Knesset elections.