Netanyahu's Changes to Likud Primaries Limit New Blood and Marginalize Periphery Representation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who introduced primaries to the Likud party in 1993 to decentralize power and empower grassroots members, is now leading reforms that effectively hollow out the party's democratic institutions. Recent decisions at the Likud convention include eight personal slots reserved for Netanyahu up to the 29th place on the list, reducing electoral districts from ten to seven, and pushing district reserved spots down to positions 27 through 42. These changes transform the primaries from a broad-based contest into a fierce survival battle for about 15 realistic seats among roughly 40 incumbent ministers and Knesset members.

This shift has sparked accusations of manipulation, legal appeals, and demands for recounts amid ongoing tensions. The article argues that candidates who genuinely served well run confidently on the national list, trusting their record, while those who avoid it by running in districts with fewer votes needed are essentially admitting defeat. The new system undermines the grassroots nature of Likud, which historically relied on door-to-door campaigning and member engagement.

Moreover, the reforms marginalize peripheral regions such as the South and North by relegating their reserved spots to low, unrealistic list positions. For example, the Southern Negev district is placed at 42nd on the list, while polls project Likud winning around 23 to 28 seats, effectively excluding southern representatives from the next Knesset. This exclusion diminishes the value of ordinary party members and peripheral voters, contradicting Likud's identity as a mass movement open to new activists from across Israel.

The article concludes that the party is becoming a closed club dominated by negotiations and reserved slots, closing the door to fresh blood from the grassroots and peripheral areas. This development should concern anyone who still identifies with Likud's original spirit of popular engagement and inclusion.