Likud Committee Meets to Decide Netanyahu’s Primary List Quotas Amid Internal Disputes

After weeks of internal disputes and delays, the Likud party's Constitution Committee convened on Monday to finalize the framework for the upcoming primaries scheduled for August 4. Central issues include the number of reserved slots (quotas) for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the allocation of seats among regional districts, and the method of selecting the party list, whether by a special committee, the Likud central body, or an open vote by all party members.

The controversy began in May when Netanyahu demanded 10 reserved slots within the top 30 positions on the list, which are considered highly likely to secure Knesset seats according to polls. Netanyahu justified this by citing the public's demand for renewal and the need to balance representation with electability. He proposed that two of these slots would serve political agreements, including one with former Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar and potentially another for candidates from allied parties.

However, prominent Likud members, including MK David Bitan and Minister Haim Katz, strongly opposed Netanyahu’s demand, arguing that 10 quotas are excessive and that a controlling committee would be illegal and unacceptable. Bitan later escalated the dispute by filing an urgent petition to the party’s judicial tribunal, claiming the current process unfairly favors Netanyahu and requesting a competing proposal limiting Netanyahu to only three reserved slots up to position 35.

A compromise between Netanyahu and Katz reportedly grants Netanyahu nine reserved slots up to position 30 and an additional slot at position 35, totaling 10. The reserved positions are expected to be 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 29, and 35, with district candidates occupying positions 27, 28, 30, and 31. The Constitution Committee is set to approve the party regulations on Tuesday, with the full Likud conference voting on Thursday. Last-minute changes remain possible.

This internal battle highlights the tension between party renewal demands and Netanyahu’s efforts to secure his leadership and influence over the candidate list ahead of the 2026 elections.