Israeli Supreme Court Overturns Netanyahu's Proposal Allowing Ministers to Run in Local Likud Primaries

Less than a week after the Likud party convention, the party's Supreme Court reversed a key decision that would have allowed ministers, Knesset members, deputy ministers, and former public officials to run in regional primaries for the Likud list. This ruling is seen as a setback for the initiative promoted by Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Minister Haim Katz, but a significant victory for Knesset member David Bitan, who opposed the change and actively campaigned against it.

Previously, Knesset members primarily ran on the national list, while regional districts were reserved for grassroots activists and new candidates. The convention had narrowly approved a proposal enabling sitting public officials to compete in these districts, which would have given them an advantage due to their public exposure, political power, and resources. The Supreme Court ruled that this change contradicted the spirit of the Likud constitution and that regional districts should remain open only to grassroots candidates.

The court emphasized that such a fundamental change to election rules cannot be enacted through a temporary order. It highlighted that regional districts serve as an incubator for new leadership and that allowing sitting officials to compete would undermine equality for less established candidates. The court also noted several procedural irregularities during the convention vote, including discrepancies in voter counts and partial enforcement of oversight decisions. Although no intentional bias was found, the accumulation of flaws and the narrow five-vote margin led to the decision to annul the change.

Not all changes were reversed. The court upheld the eight reserved slots granted to Netanyahu on the Likud list. However, it reinstated the 35th spot as part of the national list without a gender quota and redefined "olim" (immigrants) for representation purposes as those who immigrated from January 1, 1990, onward. The deadline for primary candidacy submissions was extended by 48 hours, and it was decided that district candidates will be chosen by members registered in that district, not by the entire Likud Central Committee.

David Bitan sent a message to the Likud members urging them to vote against the proposal, stating, "Vote no, then we will reach arrangements later."