Likud MK Afif Abd Withdraws Appeal, Barring MPs From District Primaries

After a prolonged internal and legal battle, Likud MK Afif Abd has withdrawn his appeal to the Supreme Court regarding the party's primary election rules. This move ends the controversy over whether sitting Knesset members and ministers can run in district-based slots in the upcoming Likud primaries. The existing decision remains in effect: current MKs and ministers are prohibited from competing in district races, which are reserved for new candidates.

The dispute began after the Likud Central Committee approved changes on July 27 that allowed ministers and MKs to run in district slots, alongside other adjustments such as reducing the number of districts from ten to seven and reserving eight slots for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, this particular provision passed by a narrow margin of six votes and was later overturned following internal party appeals and a district court ruling that found irregularities in the vote count.

Abd, who intended to run in the Galilee and Valleys district, challenged the party's decision in court but lost at the district court level. He then appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Likud constitution does not forbid MKs and ministers from running in district slots. The appeal threatened to delay or disrupt the primaries due to logistical challenges if the rules changed at the last minute.

With Abd's withdrawal, the legal uncertainty has been resolved, ensuring that the primaries will proceed with the current rules barring sitting officials from district contests. This outcome is seen as a victory for new candidates who feared competing against established politicians with greater name recognition and resources. The party can now move forward with the primaries without further legal complications regarding candidate eligibility in district races.