Likud Court Orders Primaries, Rejects Netanyahu's List Control Proposal

The Likud party's internal court ruled on Sunday in favor of the Social Forum's petition, mandating that the party hold primaries to select its Knesset list. The court emphasized that Likud is not a party controlled by a single individual, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and warned that the party would lose its vitality if it became so. This decision marks a significant victory for party activists advocating for a democratic candidate selection process.

The Social Forum, aligned with the National Union, pledged to continue representing the interests of the party's 150,000 members until a full electoral victory is achieved. The ruling comes amid internal tensions, as Netanyahu had proposed a primary system granting him eight reserved slots on the party list, a move that sparked controversy within Likud.

Sources within Likud told Kan News that if a vote on Netanyahu's proposal for primaries with reserved slots does not occur by Monday, the party will not have enough time to conduct the primaries. In that scenario, a special organizing committee led by Netanyahu would determine the list. The vote may be postponed due to "security reasons," coinciding with Netanyahu's trip to Washington.

Several senior Likud ministers close to Netanyahu, including Israel Katz, Avi Dichter, Yoav Kisch, Miki Zohar, Idith Silman, Ofir Katz, and Ariel Kallner, reportedly favor the organizing committee option, which could improve their list positions. There are also reports of pressure on Knesset members to withdraw from the primaries in exchange for positions.

This court decision represents a major turning point in the internal Likud struggle over the candidate selection method, strengthening the position of activists who want to preserve the democratic primary system. Further updates are expected.