Netanyahu Secures Control Over Likud List With New Clause Allowing Primary Cancellation

The Knesset Constitution Committee approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to reserve eight secured spots within the top 30 places on the Likud party list ahead of upcoming elections. This approval includes a new unprecedented clause granting Netanyahu the authority to cancel the party primaries if a security situation arises that restricts public gatherings. The committee's decision is expected to be voted on by the full Knesset on Thursday.

Netanyahu's move is widely seen as an effort to consolidate maximum control over the party list, ensuring loyalty among candidates and managing public image. A significant motivation behind this strategy relates to the upcoming repeated elections for the State Comptroller position. In June, Michael Regev, Netanyahu's personal lawyer, was initially elected as State Comptroller, but the appointment was frozen by the Supreme Court due to voting secrecy concerns, prompting a rerun of the election.

Netanyahu fears that if the final Likud list is published before the State Comptroller elections, disgruntled Knesset members placed low or excluded from the list might retaliate against him in the vote. By delaying the list's publication and maintaining control over candidate placements, Netanyahu aims to keep all members hopeful of securing favorable positions, thereby minimizing internal opposition during the comptroller election.

This political maneuver underscores Netanyahu's intent to leverage party mechanisms and electoral timing to safeguard his influence both within Likud and in broader state oversight appointments. The new clause allowing primary cancellation due to security concerns also reflects the tense regional environment and its impact on domestic politics.