Likud Members Vote in Competitive Primaries to Select Next Knesset Slate

Over 100,000 Likud party members across Israel are voting today in one of the most competitive and intense primaries in recent years to determine the party's candidate list for the upcoming Knesset elections. The vote is taking place at about 80 polling stations nationwide, where each member selects 12 candidates for the national list alongside representatives for regional districts.

The primaries are marked by fierce competition for a limited number of realistic spots, as dozens of ministers, current Knesset members, and new candidates vie for positions. A record eight slots have been reserved for party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, further reducing the number of open places and intensifying the survival battle for incumbent lawmakers, some of whom risk exclusion from the viable list.

Notable new contenders include Knesset member Tali Gottlieb, who is expected to make a significant rise in the rankings, as well as Minister Amichai Shikli and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, both running in the Likud primaries for the first time. In recent days, candidate campaigns have mobilized thousands of activists, distributing recommended lists and engaging in internal clashes to promote favored candidates and block others.

Voting concludes at 10 p.m., followed by a manual count supervised by lawyers, with results transmitted to the central command center overnight. Political analysts anticipate that the primary outcomes will not only shape the party's Knesset slate but also influence the internal power dynamics within Likud and the standing of ministers, Knesset members, and emerging leaders ahead of the upcoming elections.