Likud Primaries Remain Crucial as Last Vestige of Israeli Parliamentary Democracy

The ongoing primaries within Israel's Likud party represent the final remnants of parliamentary democracy in a Knesset increasingly controlled by a small group of influential figures. Unlike other parties such as Religious Zionism and Labor, which have abandoned open elections in favor of engineered candidate lists, Likud still adheres to traditional primary election rules established decades ago. This internal party contest is seen as a rare democratic process amid a political landscape where fewer than ten political 'tycoons' from both right and left wield disproportionate influence over the legislature.

Currently, control over Knesset seats is concentrated among key leaders: Yair Lapid holds 24 mandates, Benny Gantz and Aryeh Deri each control 11, the Arab parties 10, with others like Goldknopf, Ben Gvir, and Avigdor Lieberman holding smaller shares. Looking ahead to the next Knesset, the majority of the "change bloc" members are expected to be appointed by three election power brokers, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Lieberman, who will distribute approximately 45 mandates among anonymous candidates they select.

This consolidation of power raises concerns about the erosion of democratic processes within Israel's political system. Analyst Shlomo Filber highlights that while primaries are often criticized as corrupt, it is important to also scrutinize how a handful of political tycoons have come to dominate the legislative body. The article underscores the significance of the Likud primaries as a last democratic stronghold amid a broader trend of engineered political control and diminishing voter influence.