Likud's David Amsalem Criticizes Netanyahu's Reserved Seats and Calls for Fair Primaries

David Amsalem, a prominent Likud minister, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Haim Katz during a private meeting in Ra'anana. Amsalem condemned the recent moves within Likud to increase reserved seats ("shriyons") to 2,000 and the talk of replacing primaries with a coordinating committee just weeks before the party's internal elections. He emphasized that the party does not belong to any individual and called for fairness and transparency, stating, "There is no such thing. Likud does not belong to any person. There are rules, honesty, and fairness."

Amsalem praised the primary system introduced by Netanyahu, highlighting its democratic nature and the participation of 150,000 party members. He warned against last-minute rule changes that exclude candidates who have worked hard for years, calling such actions "anti-Likud." Despite his opposition, Amsalem expressed understanding for members who voted for Netanyahu's proposals, acknowledging the political risks if Netanyahu were to lose.

Earlier, the Likud party court ruled that current and former Knesset members, ministers, and deputy ministers cannot run for district slots on the party list unless they resign from the Knesset and forgo state funding for primaries. This decision affects the internal election dynamics, especially for lawmakers with low chances on the national list.

The internal conflict peaked last week when the party conference approved Netanyahu's three key proposals: changing the primary system, allowing Knesset members and ministers to run in district slots, and confirming eight reserved spots for the party chairman up to the 29th place on the list. Although these passed by majority vote, the party court later overturned parts of the decision, intensifying tensions within Likud ahead of the upcoming elections.