Netanyahu Seeks to Reserve Ninth Spot for Michel Buskila on Likud List to Secure Election Funding

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to request that the Likud Central Committee approve increasing the number of reserved slots on the party's list for the 26th Knesset elections from eight to nine. This move aims to include Deputy Foreign Minister and Knesset member Michel Buskila from the National Right faction, formerly known as New Hope, as the second reserved candidate from that faction. Under a 2024 agreement between Likud and National Right, Netanyahu can reserve one or two candidates from National Right on the Likud list. So far, only party leader Gideon Sa'ar has been reserved, and Netanyahu now seeks to secure the second slot for Buskila.

This decision is influenced by political and financial considerations. MK Sharren Haskel recently resigned as Deputy Foreign Minister and requested to split from National Right. For the Knesset Committee to approve this split, at least one additional MK from the faction must join her. Since the faction has four MKs, Sa'ar, Ze'ev Elkin, Haskel, and Buskila, and Elkin is running in Likud primaries, Buskila is the only viable candidate to join Haskel. If Buskila splits with Haskel, they can form a new party eligible for approximately 2.936 million shekels in early election funding without a bank guarantee.

If the split is not approved, National Right will remain a four-member faction for funding calculations. Assuming only Sa'ar and Buskila enter the Knesset, the faction would receive funding worth about 8.074 million shekels. Running within Likud, the faction would bring 6.2 million shekels in funding, creating a 1.8 million shekel advantage for the joint list, benefiting Likud's treasury.

Buskila previously led Likud's Ashkelon branch and served as a council member from 2008 to 2022. He joined New Hope in 2021 and briefly served as an MK. Buskila declined to comment, stating the matter is handled by Netanyahu and National Right's chairman. His role as Deputy Foreign Minister will be clarified in the coming days.