Netanyahu Secures Key Advantages in Likud Primaries Amid Security Contingency Plan

The Likud Constitution Committee approved a new primary election framework for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, granting Prime Minister and party leader Benjamin Netanyahu significant influence over the party list. The committee, chaired by Minister Haim Katz and including Netanyahu, voted overwhelmingly to adopt the proposal, which reserves seven guaranteed slots for Netanyahu up to the 30th place on the Likud list. These reserved slots do not require further approval.

The new framework also revises the division of electoral districts, with final district boundaries to be determined based on the number of eligible voters as of July 26, when the official voter registry is published. Sitting ministers, deputy ministers, and Knesset members are barred from running in district primaries, except in the non-Jewish sector district. Regarding gender representation, the reserved slots for Netanyahu will not override the party’s gender representation mechanism, though if only two women are elected by slot 14, the representation guarantee at slot 10 will be canceled.

A critical provision addresses potential security escalations. If a security crisis arises between the party conference approval and the primaries, leading to restrictions on public gatherings, Netanyahu may replace the primaries with a five-member organizing committee appointed by him. This committee, composed of selected mayors, will recommend the party list, with Netanyahu holding final decision-making authority. This measure effectively grants Netanyahu greater control over the Likud list if security conditions prevent holding primaries.

Likud officials stated that the full proposal, including detailed district divisions, district names, and reserved slots, will be published on the party’s website. This new system consolidates Netanyahu’s power within Likud ahead of the elections and prepares for contingencies related to Israel’s security situation.