Netanyahu Faces Internal Struggles Over Likud Primaries and Candidate List Formation

The Likud party continues to grapple with internal disputes over the method of selecting its candidate list for the 26th Knesset elections. Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who originally introduced the primary system to Likud in 1993 to democratize candidate selection, is now pushing to cancel the primaries and revert to a "smoothing committee" system that would allow him greater control over the list. This shift has sparked legal battles within the party and at the Lod District Court, with opponents arguing that changing the rules mid-process violates Likud's constitution.

Criticism of the primary system has grown over the years, as it has been exploited through mass recruitments of non-supporters and orchestrated deals by party activists to influence outcomes. Netanyahu’s demand for 8 to 10 reserved spots ("sharionim") on the list, including at least six in the top 20, is seen by critics as undemocratic and a move to consolidate his personal influence. Likud MK David Bitan, a leading opponent of the reserved spots, claims these undermine the party’s democratic process and have contributed to declining poll numbers.

Netanyahu’s insistence on reshaping the list stems from concerns that the current lineup is electorally damaging and fails to attract new voters. He has suggested that this election could be his last and wants a refreshed slate to improve chances. The internal conflict has delayed the approval of the reserved spots by Likud’s constitutional committee, with the party conference to finalize the decision postponed amid ongoing legal and political wrangling.

The primaries were initially scheduled for August 4 but have been postponed to August 17. However, if no agreement on the reserved spots is reached by then, the primaries may be canceled altogether. Netanyahu has also stated that if the security situation prevents holding primaries, the candidate list will be set by the smoothing committee, effectively bypassing the democratic vote.

This turmoil highlights the tension between democratic procedures within Likud and Netanyahu’s efforts to maintain tight control over the party’s electoral prospects ahead of a critical election.