Expected primary date and Netanyahu’s attempt to set up a steering committee

Photo: Flash 90

Expected primary date and Netanyahu’s attempt to set up a steering committee

Moti Castel, about an hour ago

At a meeting with local authority heads in Likud, the expected date for holding the primaries was raised as the end of July, but Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his wish to cancel the internal election and establish a steering committee. Netanyahu justified this by citing the need to refresh the slate and prevent factionalism during wartime, but the move is expected to face significant opposition at the party convention.

At the meeting now taking place with the prime minister, local authority heads and senior Likud officials, the date that came up for the Likud primaries was July 28. Unless the election is brought forward, in which case it will be on July 21. Not only that, but Likud has already hired a company to conduct the primaries on that date.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90

Beyond that, as we have already said in the past, Netanyahu is now telling the local authority heads: "I want to cancel the primaries altogether, on a temporary basis, and establish a steering committee, because of the war and because of the need to refresh and improve the slate."

Netanyahu said at the meeting: "Primaries in their current format may lead to the formation of groups within the Likud faction in the next Knesset, something that could make it harder to form the next government and to operate it."

Why local authority heads specifically? Because Netanyahu is trying to enlist them and hand them the enormous power of shaping the slate for the 26th Knesset.

Knesset, Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90

At the same time, it must be remembered that such a move would need the approval of Likud’s new convention, and here Netanyahu is expected to encounter serious difficulties. Even if one assumes that the prime minister succeeds in enlisting even his opponents, such as David Bitan, many Central Committee members want and will demand primaries. Moreover, Likud prides itself on being almost the only democratic party among the parties. A secret ballot may also be requested, in which he could lose.

Therefore, the likelihood of such a move exists only if a major war with Iran breaks out soon, and it is more likely that instead of canceling the primaries, Netanyahu will ultimately receive a high number of reserved spots.

Likud, Knesset, primaries, Prime Minister