Israeli Court Halts Likud Primary Reform Vote Minutes Before Start

The Lod District Court issued an injunction minutes before the Likud party conference was set to begin, stopping the vote on proposed changes to the party's primary election system. The court's decision came in response to a petition filed by the Social Forum alongside the National Labor Union, who argued the process compromised the integrity of the election.

The halted conference was to approve a comprehensive reform plan led by Likud Central Committee Chairman and Minister Haim Katz, which had received backing from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the party's Constitution Committee earlier this week. The reform would grant Netanyahu eight reserved spots on the party's Knesset list and introduce new allocations to ensure representation for women, youth, immigrants, non-Jewish sectors, and people with disabilities.

The Social Forum welcomed the court's ruling, calling it a victory for common sense and pledging to continue safeguarding the interests of the party's 150,000 members. The reform plan had already sparked internal opposition, notably from MK David Bitan, who left the committee meeting in protest and proposed a scaled-back alternative with only three reserved spots for Netanyahu.

With the injunction in place, the Likud conference cannot proceed as planned, leaving the future of the primary reform uncertain. The party must await a legal resolution or reach new internal agreements before advancing the changes. This development marks a significant escalation in the internal Likud struggle over the rules governing upcoming primaries.