New Likud Members Are Younger, More Religious, and More Extreme, Study Finds
Since January 2023, most Likud Knesset members have supported efforts to weaken Israel's judicial independence, government legal advisors, and oversight institutions, despite widespread public protests and expert warnings. After the October 7 attacks, many joined in criticizing top security officials and the Attorney General, with few defending state institutions publicly. This behavior is linked not only to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also to the party's voter base, which selects candidates in primaries.
Research into the 2022 Likud primaries reveals that the party's registered members who vote in primaries differ significantly from the broader Likud electorate. These primary voters tend to be younger, more religious, and hold more extreme views, favoring confrontational candidates. For example, only about one-third identify as secular, while nearly two-thirds are traditional or religious. Their support for judicial reforms is stronger than that of general Likud voters, with 61.1% backing the judicial overhaul compared to 40% of general voters.
Organized religious and settler groups have increased their influence within Likud's membership, affecting candidate selection. The "My Likud" network, led by Yossi Dagan, claims around 8,000 members and helped elect 12 candidates into the top 15 spots in the 2022 primaries, including prominent supporters of the judicial reforms. Many elected candidates are religious nationalists who aggressively oppose the judiciary and promote settlement expansion, even amid ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Netanyahu's use of reserved slots in the party list has further shaped the candidate roster, allowing him to place loyalists with hardline stances on the judiciary. Additionally, internal party media outlets like "Meluchadim News" and Channel 14 provide platforms for these candidates to communicate directly with primary voters, rewarding aggressive rhetoric with increased visibility.
The growing power of organized religious factions and the shift toward more extreme candidates have led Netanyahu to consider canceling or limiting primaries to regain control over the party list. This dynamic has created a party base and leadership increasingly aligned with ultra-nationalist and anti-judiciary positions, distancing the party from its more moderate, secular roots. The author, a political researcher, emphasizes the importance of public awareness about these changes ahead of upcoming elections.
