Likud Appeals to Supreme Court Over District Primaries Ban for MKs and Ministers

Likud MK Afif Abed announced he will appeal to the Supreme Court against a Tel Aviv District Court ruling that upheld the Likud party's decision to bar sitting MKs, ministers, and deputy ministers from running in district primaries. The District Court rejected Abed's petition, which challenged the Likud party tribunal's move to prevent incumbents from competing in district slots during the party's primaries. Abed criticized the ruling, calling it unjust and said it undermines the vote of the Likud convention members.

The controversy stems from a narrow party convention vote that approved allowing current MKs and ministers to run in district primaries, a move promoted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Haim Katz. However, the party tribunal invalidated that decision, citing irregularities in the voting and counting process, including issues at a polling station in Rishon Lezion linked to MK David Bitan.

As a result of the tribunal's and court's rulings, incumbents will be forced to run only on the national list, effectively opening district slots to new candidates without prior Knesset experience. Abed plans to argue before the Supreme Court that the party tribunal and District Court should not have interfered with the convention's decision, emphasizing that the convention members are sovereign in this process. The Supreme Court's ruling could impact the Likud list composition ahead of upcoming elections.