Likud Postpones Primary Registration Deadline Amid Netanyahu's US Trip and Legal Appeals
The Likud party leadership has postponed the deadline for candidate registration in its upcoming primaries from today to Monday. This delay aims to allow current Knesset members to decide between running on the national list or in regional districts after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns from his trip to the United States. The postponement also provides time for the party's internal court to rule on appeals challenging the recent narrow decision to permit Knesset members to run in districts rather than solely on the national list, as previously mandated by the party constitution.
Following a close vote at the Likud convention, some Knesset members began registering in districts where they believe they have a better chance of winning, while others remain undecided and have registered in both the national and district lists to keep their options open. Those registered in both were required to withdraw from one by today, but the deadline extension now allows them to wait for the court's decision before finalizing their choice.
The decision on which list to run on carries significant financial implications. Candidates on the national list, voted on by approximately 140,000 party members, receive about 380,000 shekels in campaign funding from the Knesset. In contrast, district candidates receive less funding proportional to the smaller number of eligible voters in their district. For example, candidates in the largest district, which includes Shfela, Jerusalem, and the West Bank with around 40,000 voters, receive under 200,000 shekels.
Candidates who withdraw from the national list after receiving full funding but choose to run in districts must return the excess funds to the state treasury, except for amounts already spent. Several Knesset members, including MK Oved Afif, have declared their intention to run in districts, while most ministers and MKs plan to run only on the national list.
The Likud leadership's move reflects caution to avoid closing decisions without Netanyahu's input and to ensure legal clarity before finalizing candidate lists for the 2026 elections.
